By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, July 21 (Reuters)
Underneath the ocean floor there is a vast network of cable systems that map out quite an extensive communication structure. These underwater cables or submarine communication cables perform quite an impressive function. Although these are out of sight, it is not out of mind. The greatest majority of our daily international data transmission requirements flow through these systems. This is a crucial factor in the digital age.
The methodology behind this madness
These nifty pieces of communication or properly known as fiber-optic cables are laid on the ocean floor. These transmit data between the different continents. It is exceptionally important for global communication. Overall, it facilitates almost all of the international data transmission and connects various regions of the world.
Three Republican House lawmakers on Monday asked the CEOs of Alphabet GOOGL.O, Facebook parent Meta META.O, Amazon.com AMZN.O and Microsoft MSFT.O if they have adopted adequate safeguards to address growing national security concerns on submarine communications cables. Washington has been raising alarm about the network of more than 400 subsea cables that handle 99% of international internet traffic and about threats from China and Russia.
The letter raised concerns that entities affiliated with China “such as SBSS, Huawei Marine, China Telecom 601728.SS, and China Unicom 0762.HK, have continued to provide maintenance or servicing to cable systems in which your companies maintain direct or indirect operational involvement or ownership.” The letter was signed by Representative John Moolenaar, who chairs a House panel in China, and also by Republican representatives Carlos Gimenez and Keith Self, who chair subcommittees.
A very opinionated global matter
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately comment. The tech companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The letter said the committees are “examining the extent to which foreign adversarial actors are positioning themselves, both overtly and covertly, to compromise subsea cable systems at key points of vulnerability.”
The lawmakers want the companies to disclose by August 8 whether they are aware of any instances of suspected hardware tampering, optical signal tapping, unexpected signal distortion or other operational irregularities during any cable repair or maintenance event. “A growing body of evidence points to a pattern of coordinated malign activity linked to the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation targeting subsea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, Indo-Pacific, and other strategic regions,” the letter said.
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said last week that the agency plans to adopt rules to bar companies from connecting undersea submarine communication cables to the United States that include Chinese technology or equipment. Since 2020, U.S. regulators have been instrumental in the cancellation of four cables whose backers had wanted to link the United States with Hong Kong.
When sabotage runs amok on the floor
In November 2024, two fiber-optic undersea telecommunication cables in the Baltic Sea were cut, prompting investigations of possible sabotage. In 2023, Taiwan accused two Chinese vessels of cutting the only two cables that support internet access on the Matsu Islands. In addition, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea may have been responsible for the cutting of three cables providing internet service to Europe and Asia.
NATO or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have raised some alarming concerns over suspected sabotage attempts on some of these underwater cable and pipelines. These specific pipelines connect about nine countries situated within the Baltic Sea region. The instances of damage to these undersea cables have sharply increased and cause significant problems. The subsea cables span approximately 800,000 miles globally. They carry almost 97% of the world’s communication. This includes those very all-important financial transactions that seem to run our daily lives. Understandably so, the global and security implications are enormous when things tend to go wrong.