Sharks & Tubes: Submarine Cables and Cybersecurity

Worried about a nuclear war with Russia? Maybe you SHOULD be worried about beluga whales. Let’s dive in (pun intended) on why. This week on Cyber.RAR, we discuss global infrastructure in the form of undersea cables transmitting data through light traveling along silicon tubes - and how fragile these systems really are. We discuss how to monitor and defend these cable networks given how massive and interconnected they are and how geography and technology factor into strategic decision-making about espionage and cyber-enabled attacks. We conclude the episode with a tribute to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and his tremendous impact on the Kennedy School and the nation.

Relevant Sources: 

https://www.submarinecablemap.com/ 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/03/10/technology/internet-cables-oceans.html

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/07/the-creepy-long-standing-practice-of-undersea-cable-tapping/277855/

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/cyber-defense-across-the-ocean-floor-the-geopolitics-of-submarine-cable-security/