More likely they're looking for information they couldn't otherwise get...
Could Russia Cut Off The Internet?
December 15, 2017 - On the heels of the FCC repeal of Net Neutrality comes another internet carfuffle, this time via Russia
... or they're4 wanting to inject fake information into the system.
Could Russia Cut Off The Internet?
December 15, 2017 - On the heels of the FCC repeal of Net Neutrality comes another internet carfuffle, this time via Russia
British intelligence recently warned that they have seen an increase in Russian naval activity surrounding international underwater cables. This grid of easily damaged fiber optic cables traverses the globe, providing internet communication to the word. These cables, which few outside of the military and tech professions have actually heard of until now, are responsible for $10 trillion a day in transactions and 97% of global communication. It’s hard to believe that such importance could be placed on fragile, unseen cables. Highlighting the importance of this underwater grid, Admiral James G Stavridis, retired United State Navy admiral and formerly NATO’s head military chief, described the information passed between the underwater cables as “the backbone of the world economy,” reminding that world leaders should be concerned for how vulnerable they have allowed this network to become.
What’s the Precedent?
The fear that Russia might severe the cables isn’t without precedent. After the spring 2014 annexation of Crimea, severing the Crimean Peninsula connection to the rest of the world was one of Russia’s first priorities. How did they do it? By cutting the very same cables. Likewise, during the Cold War, these cables were routinely tapped. Although the US tampered with the underwater cables during the Cold War in an operation known as IVY BELLS to obtain information pertaining to the Soviet Union’s missile and submarine capabilities, international experts believe that Russia is currently the only country with such an intensive program. For the notoriously secretive country, these underwater operations have an added bonus. Intelligence and satellite imagery can capture Russian activities on land. It is much more difficult to monitor underwater intelligence operations.
How Are They Damaged?
Because of the fragile nature of the cables, they are often accidentally damaged. A ship’s hull may slice the cables in shallow waters, while dropping an anchor could sever them completely. Usually these kinds of accidents happen in shallow water, which allows for damage to be quickly remedied. However, these cables traverse the world’s oceans, which means if cuts were deliberately made by an intelligence agency, it would be incredibly difficult to locate the damage out in openwaters. Installing cables can cost hundreds of millions of dollars, while repairs are slow and exceedingly difficult to begin with. If a cable is damaged somewhere in the vast ocean, it can’t be expected to be up and running again quickly.
The fears over the underwater cables comes at a time when Russia seems to be increasing it’s naval presence. British intelligence has noted that Russia has increased its submarine presence in the North Atlantic, particularly near important cables and in the ocean between the UK, Greenland, and Iceland, an area known as the GIUK Gap. British intelligence has also highlighted Russia’s notorious willingness to engage in information warfare.
Although high voltages run through the wires, it is possible for a human to clip them. In 2013 three scuba divers in a fishing boat successfully cut a cable that runs nearly 13,000 miles, connecting three continents. Internet speed in Egypt was reduced by 60% until the line was repaired. The intention of the three scuba divers never became clear to the international community, but did serve to draw attention to the vulnerabilities of the underwater grid. Previously, terrorists in the Philippines and Vietnamese pirates have disrupted the fiber optic grid, underscoring the potential for terror attacks to the world’s most vulnerable communications system.
Why Attack the Cables?
... or they're4 wanting to inject fake information into the system.
