NASA already planning how to divert it into space

In today’s world, people feel that the Internet is an abstraction that does not exist in a physical form. However, the reality is starkly different. The Internet is supported by an unstable web of submarine cables that handle around 95% of all interconnects.

They consist of about 200 cables that cross oceans to provide important communication and financial transactions, amounting to approximately $10 trillion daily. They are now often depicted as a physically weak nation, especially given the escalating tensions between countries such as Russia, China, and North Korea.

Recent underwater cable incidents show how fragile global communication is

New events have demonstrated that these cables are very vulnerable. For instance, in October 2022, the electricity cable linking the Shetland Islands experienced two breaks shortly after a Russian research vessel passed close to the area.

While the intentionality of disruption is often not easy to establish—most disruptions result from accidental or natural causes—the timing has increased the alertness of Western security organizations. Moreover, the retreat of the major Chinese telecommunication companies from the undersea cable system suggests a shift in confidence in the global information technology industry.

NATO’s new strategy: What to know about their plan to redirect internet traffic via satellites

Given all these threats, NATO is funding a project to redirect internet traffic via satellite links in case of a cable cut. The organization’s Science for Peace and Security Programme has endorsed a grant of up to $433,600 for the $2.5m project to create continuity from cable infrastructure to space technology in emergencies.

The current study involves researchers from the US, Iceland, Sweden, and Switzerland, all of whom have come together to identify how the Internet can be kept up during calamities. Such solutions are now more necessary than ever. In March 2023, there were significant disruptions in West and Central Africa through cable breaks, showing that the disruption of these networks puts other consequences into motion.

One of the significant sub-goals is to improve the identification of threats to undersea cables. Currently, mobile operators can detect interference from as far as a kilometer away; the goal is to detect it from a meter away. This increase in precision should also allow for a faster reaction to possible threats, whether from sabotage or a natural catastrophe.

Global partnerships to strengthen the future of underwater infrastructure protection

NATO’s initiative is not coming out of the blue, as there is a growing awareness among different actors globally on the importance of protecting undersea infrastructure. The European Commission has also sounded the alarm over the security of these cables, fearing that tension might affect their security and urging improvement in resilience mechanisms.

NATO has already launched a center to focus on the best practices for the protection of underwater critical infrastructure, especially after the September 2022 bombing of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Despite the scope, it can be a high-stakes project, given that the legal status of satellite communications and maritime zones is complicated by international law.

Scientists will take about two years to conduct feedback sessions with prototypes and assess the differences in national laws. This is true considering industry players like Viasat Inc., whose satellite internet system was targeted by cyberattacks when Russia invaded Ukraine, space tech firm Sierra Space Corp., and cybersecurity firm Syndis of Iceland.

It will equally likely act as a dominant model of how nations can unite to protect their digital structures as the project progresses. In an ever-globalizing economy, the importance of the Internet cannot be overemphasized. Losing connection means that more than economic losses, political and cultural relations can break down between nations.