The resilience of the world’s submarine cable network is under new pressure from geopolitical tensions, supply chain risks, and slow repair processes. A new report from the Center for Cybersecurity Policy and Law outlines how governments and industry can work together to strengthen this critical infrastructure.
The report comes at a time when physical disruptions to cables are drawing more attention. While most breaks are caused by fishing or anchoring accidents, recent incidents in the Baltic Sea and the Taiwan Strait have raised concerns about potential sabotage.
Building resilience through redundancy
One of the report’s main themes is redundancy. Adding more cables along different routes makes it harder for a single incident to disrupt global communications. That goal is complicated by the high cost of new projects and complex permitting rules that slow down deployment.
In some countries, it now takes more than three years to get approval for a new cable landing site. These delays discourage private investment and can lead to clusters of cables landing in the same location, creating single points of failure.
Researchers urges governments to streamline their permitting processes and coordinate with neighboring countries to align requirements. It also recommends early engagement between regulators and cable operators to avoid last-minute changes that can derail projects after millions of dollars have already been spent.
Fixing what is already in place
Even with redundancy, cables will fail. Repairing them quickly is vital to maintaining global connectivity. The report points to cabotage rules, port entry requirements, and customs fees as major causes of delays.
In some cases, repair ships must dock for inspection or navigate complex paperwork before they can begin work. This can add days or weeks to repair timelines. Simplifying these rules and creating “free ports” where repair materials can be stored tax-free would reduce downtime and costs.
Researchers also highlight the limited number of specialized repair ships. Governments and industry should plan ahead for large-scale disruptions by establishing joint emergency repair programs.
Emerging technologies like fiber sensing and vessel tracking are often discussed as solutions for detecting risks before they become incidents. However, Alexander Botting, senior director for global security and technology strategy at Venable and author of the report, told Help Net Security that these tools are not being used to their full potential.
“AIS data is at times used post-incident to review the activity of vessels nearby, but not consistently,” Botting said. “Currently we are not leveraging the full capability of either fiber sensing or AIS tracking to monitor, anticipate, and prevent disruptions to subsea cable infrastructure.”
Securing the supply chain
Submarine cable construction and maintenance depend on a small group of global vendors. This concentration creates the risk of overreliance on companies that may not align with national security priorities.
Researchers call for mapping the entire supply chain to identify choke points and potential vulnerabilities. Governments should share information about high-risk suppliers and work with trusted partners to diversify production and repair capabilities.
Botting noted that, so far, the problem has been more about potential risk. “The primary concern with untrusted vendors is not that they have undermined deployments or repairs to-date, but that reliance upon them to deploy and maintain cables over their 30-year lifespan represents an unacceptable level of risk and uncertainty,” he said. “The good news for this area of critical infrastructure is that trusted vendors are being selected to deliver the vast majority of cables being laid today and in the years ahead.”
A shared responsibility
While governments play a role in setting policies and regulations, the private sector owns and operates most of the world’s cables. The report emphasizes that meaningful progress will require cooperation between both sides.
This includes sharing data about risks and incidents, developing joint response plans, and aligning on international standards for cable protection. It also means ensuring that security measures do not create unnecessary barriers that slow down deployment or repairs.
