⚓️🦈 Sharks and Subsea Cables :- Navigating the data ocean in the Digital Age
🤿 Diving into the internet age, connectivity is as fundamental as human rights, with the metaphorical ‘shark’ lurking just around the corner. Just as various species of sharks inhabit the seas, there are various sharks circling the vast ocean of global communications each presenting their own set of challenges. Be it ‘business sharks,’ ‘loan sharks,’ ‘hedge fund sharks’, ‘cyber sharks,’ ‘data sharks,’ ‘legal sharks,’ ‘political sharks,’ or ‘media sharks,’ each inspired by their marine spirit animal 😳… Whatever shark you end up swimming with …, understanding the behaviour of different sharks is key to safely navigating the seas, especially the metaphorical type and crucial when navigating the intricacies of our global communication network. 👀 https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/quad-needs-talk-security-subsea-cables
🤖👩🏻 💻 And so it begins with our craving for data, as our digital society demands surge at an unprecedented rate, driven by the rise of AI, cloud computing, streaming services, 5G, and IoT.
🌊 Beneath the waves of our oceans rest subsea cables, a literal world-wide-web interwoven into the ocean floor, forming an invisible labyrinth that serves as the backbone of our global communications. Over 1.4 million km (~870,000 miles) of these cables, are responsible for transmitting over 95% of trans-continental voice and data communications. This includes nearly $10 trillion in daily financial transactions! https://www.submarinecablemap.com
🧶 Much like a network of arteries, these subsea cables are essential yet surprisingly vulnerable. They can be damaged by earthquakes, dredging, fishing trawlers, ship anchors, and even curious sharks with a taste for fibre optics have been sighted mistaking cables for their chew toys. A single significant rupture can send shockwaves through the global digital system, disrupting everything from internet connectivity to financial transactions.
👩🏻 🏫 [Case Study]: Undersea cables attacked by sharks https://www.forbes.com/sites/melissacristinamarquez/2020/07/20/our-underwater-world-is-full-of-cables-that-are-sometimes-attacked-by-sharks/
🛰️ You’re probably thinking satellites 🤔 .. well… despite over 5000 satellites in orbit and growing, current satellite capacity is still not a sufficient backup or resilience enhancement, as it can only handle ~0.01% of the transmission capacity of undersea cables. Therefore, when subsea cables fail, the stakes are high, and the implications are global.
💔 A single significant cable break can have far-reaching global effects.
👩🏻 🏫 [Case Study]: The 2006 Taiwan earthquake severed 8 subsea cables, disrupting internet, banking, and trading across Asia into chaos for weeks. You would never have realised our profound reliance on this critical infrastructure, until your internet comes to a grinding halt including the stock exchange…🤯https://www.submarinenetworks.com/news/cables-cut-after-taiwan-earthquake-2006
🛠 The undersea network is somewhat our digital lifeblood, encountering over 100 damaged cable incidents annually, with repair costs ranging from $1 million to $3 million each. A majority of these incidents are caused by shipping or environmental damage.
🌐 While the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC), a consortium of 69 countries and approximately 190 member organisations, works diligently to safeguard these undersea lifelines, acting like our ocean conservation group for these digital lifelines. However, we need more proactive measures and global cooperation. https://www.iscpc.org
🏛️ The UN has recognised these cables as “critical communication infrastructure,” and any intentional damage is deemed punishable under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Yet, without real accountability mechanisms, the threats continue to linger. https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf
⚔️ The threats aren’t new. Incidents of sabotage and espionage, such as the tapping or severing of subsea cables can be traced back to WWI. Welcome to the ocean bed games
👩🏻 🏫 [Case Study]: “How Britain pioneered cable-cutting in WW1” https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42367551
👩🏻 🏫 [Case Study]: In 2013, men intentionally cut the South-East-Asia-Middle-East-West-Europe 4 cable north of Alexandria, Egypt, which runs 20,117 KM (12,500 miles) and connects three continents, causing a 60% plunge in internet speeds until repairs were made. https://www.computerworld.com/article/2714182/sabotage-suspected-in-egypt-submarine-cable-cut.html
⚖️ Beyond engineering, the complexity of subsea cables involves aspects of international law, national security, future investment planning, and more. It’s a fascinating intersection of technology, law, risk, and opportunity.
🔮As a futurist and tech consultant converging my interests across international law, telecommunications, payments, and cybersecurity, I believe it’s paramount that we scrutinise this pivotal part of our digital existence. The world’s growing appetite for data makes the role of subsea cables more crucial than ever. They underpin everything from international finance to social media, and viral cat videos. As we move deeper into the digital age, the importance of these cables as the backbone of global communication only escalates.
🔍 Have you thought about how your organisations’ data travel around the world? What’s your plan for communication redundancy and resilience?
⛵️Navigating the data ocean can be likened to sailing in shark-infested waters. Each type of shark presents distinct challenges and your organisation must be prepared to recognise and mitigate these risks, much like a seasoned sailor navigating through treacherous seas.
🛡️As the stakes rise in our interconnected world, the need for secure, reliable, resilient communication infrastructure becomes increasingly critical.
🛠 Building robust resilience plans, exploring redundancy options, and safeguarding data transfer are part of the necessary strategies. It may be worth considering enhancing our understanding of these unseen lifelines, their vulnerabilities, and the various ‘sharks’ that can potentially disrupt them. This understanding can inform more resilient designs, proactive protective measures, and responsive contingency plans.
🌏 If your organisation relies heavily on global internet traffic and seeks fresh insights into the intricate workings of these unseen arteries of our digital world, let’s connect! Our collective efforts can help us navigate these waters more effectively, ensuring that our critical digital lifelines remain robust, secure, and resilient in the face of the various ‘sharks’ in our data ocean. Drop me a message 📩
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Submarine cable systems are governed by a complex array of international and national laws. Some of the major international agreements and treaties include:
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS): This is the primary international treaty governing activities across the world’s oceans. It recognises the rights of states to lay and maintain submarine cables in international waters and on continental shelves. https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf
- Convention for the Protection of Submarine Telegraph Cables (1884): An early treaty specifically focused on the protection of submarine cables. It establishes criminal liability for the intentional destruction of submarine cables. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_for_the_Protection_of_Submarine_Telegraph_Cables
- International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) Recommendations: While not legally binding, these guidelines are widely accepted by industry and governments worldwide and serve as a de facto standard, covering everything from cable routing and burial depth to repair methods. https://www.iscpc.org/
- The Law of Maritime Neutrality and Submarine Cables https://www.ejiltalk.org/the-law-of-maritime-neutrality-and-submarine-cables/