Europe's Internet resilience mitigates impact of submarine cable cuts

Post by lotsofpulp » Thu, Nov 21, 2024, 3:34 PM UTC

alisonatwork wrote: post #15

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In this particular case, it seems like the attackers were trying for plausible deniability (making it look like an accident with an anchor). A comprehensive series of "accidents" wouldn't fit that goal. (And if they decide they don't care about plausible deniability, they could use sub-deployed timed mines to take out every cable at once.)

Even if these "accidents" are a state sponsored (or at least condoned) action, it seems certain states have realized they can happen over and over again without consequences[0]. The frustrating part of this kind of petty tactic is that bullies can do just enough to annoy and inconvenience their targets, while never quite doing enough to make it worth expending the political capital to hold them to account. From the b…

Post by tirant » Thu, Nov 21, 2024, 4:16 PM UTC

alisonatwork wrote: post #15

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In this particular case, it seems like the attackers were trying for plausible deniability (making it look like an accident with an anchor). A comprehensive series of "accidents" wouldn't fit that goal. (And if they decide they don't care about plausible deniability, they could use sub-deployed timed mines to take out every cable at once.)

Even if these "accidents" are a state sponsored (or at least condoned) action, it seems certain states have realized they can happen over and over again without consequences[0]. The frustrating part of this kind of petty tactic is that bullies can do just enough to annoy and inconvenience their targets, while never quite doing enough to make it worth expending the political capital to hold them to account. From the b…

Post by timbit42 » Thu, Nov 21, 2024, 5:08 PM UTC

mistyvales wrote: post #11

booi wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Generally it can be fixed in days. They raise it from the sea floor and splice in a new cable section.

Crazy that you can splice optical cable..

Post by yencabulator » Mon, Dec 02, 2024, 3:37 AM UTC

anonymousDan wrote: post #3

One important question that I'm unclear on is how long it takes to fix one of these cables. If it takes months then that is quite a wide window in which an attacker could incrementally take down cables.