The UK government has launched a new inquiry which will examine the security of undersea fibre-optic cables.

MPs and Lords working under the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) will explore the UK’s ability to defend its subsea infrastructure and how this may change with the development of new technologies.

Currently there are around 500 cables around the world, which the government describes as the backbone of the world’s communication and commerce system, and they carry about 95 per cent of all international data.

Around 60 cables connect the UK to other countries, which the government said provides “reasonable” resilience if one is damaged.

However, if a there is simultaneous damage to multiple cables the government warned that this would be significant especially during periods of conflict.

The government said these cables are often long and remote, which makes them difficult and costly to monitor. They are also vulnerable to natural events, accidental damage by vessels or deliberate sabotage.

While the government said it has taken steps to improve maritime security, cables in European waters which provide links to countries including Norway, Sweden and the Shetland Islands, have been severed over the past few years.

According to the government, over 50 Russian vessels have been observed around areas of high cable density in the Baltic Sea over the past few years and concerns have been raised about the potential of Chinese sabotage around Taiwan.

“There is no need for panic—we have a good degree of resilience, and awareness of the challenge is growing,” said the chair of the committee Matt Western. “But we must be clear-eyed about the risks and consequences: an attack of this nature would hit us hard.
“Our inquiry will look at what’s needed to defend our subsea cables, and consider the UK’s national resilience should our internet face major disruption”.

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