European Union Submarine Internet Cables Face Growing Threats and Vulnerabilities

European Union submarine internet cables are a vital part of the region's digital infrastructure, but they're facing growing threats and vulnerabilities.

These underwater cables are often targeted by pirates and thieves, who can cause significant disruptions to internet services.

In fact, a single cut to a major submarine cable can affect internet connectivity for millions of people in several European countries.

The cables are also vulnerable to damage from fishing nets and anchors, which can cause costly repairs and downtime.

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The European Union has been slow to recognize the importance of subsea internet cables as a critical infrastructure.

In the EU, regulation of cyberspace and internet infrastructure was initially left to private companies, but large cyberattacks in 2007 and 2008 changed this approach.

The EU is home to several global industry leaders in subsea cable installation and repair, but it lacks peer competitors to US hyperscalers in new cable investments.

Incidents of cable damage and potential sabotage in European waters have led governments across Europe to recognize the risks posed by geopolitical competitors, including China and Russia.

Most EU countries have national governments responsible for the protection of submarine cables, but the EU has not prioritized their protection.

Here is a breakdown of how different EU countries handle submarine cable protection:

The unclearness of rules for ships to maintain a distance with cables has often been blamed for slow legal advancement in protecting submarine cables.

Submarine internet cables are vulnerable to various threats, including natural causes, unintentional human causes, and intentional human causes.

The European Commission has identified three primary potential threats to submarine infrastructure: man-made destruction, systemic disruption, and the targeting of supporting infrastructure.

Submarine cables are exposed to sabotage and tampering, which can disrupt international data traffic. This is a significant concern, especially given Russia's war against Ukraine, which has raised awareness of security threats to submarine cables.

The UK is not immune to such threats; in 2022, a subsea cable connecting Shetland and the Faroe Islands was damaged, with suspicion falling on a Russian research vessel in the area.

Companies owned or controlled by foreign governments, such as those with ties to the Chinese state, can create scope for systemic disruption by firms that operate and repair submarine cables.

HMN Tech, formerly Huawei Marine Networks, owns ten percent of the global cable infrastructure and has built or repaired over a quarter of all active cables worldwide, compromising critical infrastructure and creating opportunities for data interception.

Deliberate Chinese sabotage of cable infrastructure is considered unlikely to occur outside the Indo-Pacific region, but it cannot be fully ruled out, given the EU's interests in this area.

The European Union is taking steps to protect its submarine internet cables from damage and sabotage. Member states are being called upon to invest more in securing this critical infrastructure.

Regular stress tests are being proposed to identify potential risks and vulnerabilities in the existing cable infrastructure. This will help governments stay ahead of potential threats.

The EU is considering regulating the security of subsea cables at a "military level". This suggests that the stakes are high and the potential consequences of a breach are severe.

Governments across Europe are recognizing the risks posed by geopolitical competitors like China and Russia to their critical undersea infrastructure. This is a major shift in perspective, as previously the focus was on whether more needed to be done to protect these cables.

Information sharing among stakeholders involved in the cables' functioning is a significant challenge. This makes it harder to coordinate efforts to protect the cables and prevent potential breaches.

In the face of rising threats, European governments and organizations are stepping up their efforts to protect subsea cables. NATO, the EU, and certain governments have increased their focus on safeguarding these critical infrastructure assets.

Private operators, policymakers, militaries, police, and coast guards all share responsibility for securing undersea cables, but the distribution of this responsibility varies from country to country. This makes coordination a significant challenge.

Governments struggle to acquire a fully integrated operational picture of activity below and above water, even near their own shores.

NATO, the EU, and certain European governments have all increased their efforts to better protect existing subsea cable infrastructure in a heightened threat environment.

Protecting subsea cables against all forms of attack and sabotage would ideally require surface and undersea surveillance along the entire length of the cables, but this is complicated by the fact that undersea cables cross territorial waters, exclusive economic zones, and the high seas.

Private operators, policymakers, militaries, police, and coast guards all share some responsibility for securing undersea cables, but the distribution of this responsibility varies from country to country.

Governments struggle to acquire a fully integrated operational picture of activity below and above water even close to their own shores.

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The European Union's efforts to protect submarine internet cables are hindered by a lack of funding and awareness. The persistence of uneven awareness is a cause for concern, especially given NATO's 2017 warning of such dangers.

In 2022, the European Parliament commissioned a comprehensive risk analysis in June, but it wasn't until the Nord Stream attacks in September that the European Council issued a five-point plan to increase awareness in October. This highlights the need for more proactive measures to address this issue.

Despite recent Russian submarine activity off the coast of Denmark, there is still a low level of public awareness and response in that country, making it an outlier among its peers.

Funding for the security upgrade of Europe's undersea Internet cable network comes from a mix of sources. Member states can use regulated state aid to fund the upgrades.

The European Investment Bank, national investment banks, and other public financing bodies are also involved. Private lenders, investors, and investment companies can contribute to the funding as well.

Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs) are public-private investment projects with more lenient conditions. These projects can be used to fund the upgrades with more flexible financing options.

The EU itself cannot finance the upgrades, so member states must rely on these alternative funding sources.

Awareness and capabilities are still uneven and insufficient in many EU member states. Ireland, France, and Portugal are the only countries where a significant level of awareness and sufficient capabilities exist, largely due to their experience with Russian naval activity.

Denmark has relevant cable infrastructure, but there's a low level of public awareness and response. Italy, Spain, and Malta have acknowledged the issue in national security documents, but there was little public debate on increasing protection prior to Russia's war in Ukraine.

NATO warned of these dangers as far back as 2017, and the issue was further stressed at the meeting of NATO ministers of defense in 2020. The Alliance launched a new center in Northwood, England, dedicated to submarine infrastructure in June 2023.

Germany relies on the cables of others, and the protection of maritime infrastructure in territorial waters is in the hands of member states. This persistence of uneven awareness is a cause for concern.

The European Parliament commissioned a comprehensive risk analysis in June 2022, but it wasn't until the Nord Stream attacks of September 2022 that the European Council issued a five-point plan to increase awareness. A Council directive in December 2022 aimed to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure, including undersea cables.

No EU entity is leading on this issue or explicitly tasked with the protection of submarine cables. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency FRONTEX has meaningful law enforcement capabilities, but its primary focus is on counter irregular migration.

The European Union is taking steps to ensure the security of its submarine internet cables. The EU Commission wants member states to consider granting submarine cable infrastructures the status of the highest possible national significance.

This means that individual states should conduct risk assessments on the cybersecurity and physical security of submarine cables, and enforce obligations on suppliers and operators to ensure security. The Commission also wants to see the fast-tracking of applications relating to submarine cable infrastructure.

The Commission notes that European economies and societies are increasingly reliant on the internet and international connectivity, and that submarine cable infrastructure is a significant element in this.

European economies and societies are increasingly reliant on the internet and international connectivity.

The vast majority of international data traffic is carried through submarine cable infrastructure, making it a significant element in our digital lives.

Submarine cable infrastructure is vulnerable to sabotage and tampering, and the recent war in Ukraine has raised awareness of security risks.

Russian vessels have been spotted suspiciously monitoring cables, such as off the Irish coast, highlighting the potential for disruption.

A subsea cable connecting Shetland and the Faroe Islands was damaged in 2022, with suspicion falling on a Russian research vessel in the area.

The UK's experience with damaged cables serves as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing data security.

The European Commission wants EU member states to grant submarine cable infrastructures the status of the highest possible national significance.

This recognition of national significance is a step towards acknowledging the critical role submarine cables play in our digital infrastructure.

EU member states should conduct risk assessments on the cybersecurity and physical security of submarine cables, and enforce obligations on suppliers and operators to ensure security.

The Commission's recommendations aim to fast-track applications for submarine cable infrastructure projects, prioritizing construction, operation, maintenance, or repair work.

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The European Commission has issued recommendations to up the security and resilience of submarine data cables, recognizing their critical role in European economies and societies.

Submarine cable infrastructure is a significant element in international data traffic, with the vast majority of international data traffic carried through these cables.

European economies and societies are increasingly reliant on the internet and international connectivity, making submarine cable infrastructure a vital component.

The Commission notes that Russia's war against Ukraine has raised awareness of security, given its potential capability to disrupt cables and suspicious monitoring activities carried out by Russian vessels.

The infrastructure is vulnerable to sabotage and tampering, and the Commission wants EU members to ensure it is adequately managed and controlled to protect it from external threats.

Individual states should conduct risk assessments on the cybersecurity and physical security of submarine cables, and enforce obligations on suppliers and operators to ensure security.

The Commission wants to see the fast-tracking of applications relating to submarine cable infrastructure, for construction, operation, maintenance or repair work.

Member states should grant to submarine cable infrastructures the status of the highest possible national significance, recognizing their critical role in national security and economic stability.

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