The Underwater World That Threatens Your Internet Mynul Khan - Geektime
go to original August 8, 2016

Animated map shows the undersea cables that power the internet (BI Science)

While the undersea cables transmitting our internet are important, they are also incredibly vulnerable. Everything from ships to natural disasters and even sharks can threaten these cables.

For reasons no one is sure of, sharks really enjoy chewing on fiber optic cables. Google now strengthens its cables with a layer of protective material meant to keep sharks and other fish away.

Entertaining as they may be, sharks are not the biggest threat to undersea cables. About 60% of cut cable incidents are caused by boats dropping their anchors or trawling by fishing vessels. It’s for this reason that cables are marked on navigational charts warning boaters not to drop anchor.

Natural disasters and seismic shifts can also disrupt cables. Even more interestingly, undersea cables are a prime target for espionage. Last year, American officials reacted uneasily to Russian ships near cables, speculating Russians may cut those lines if there is tension or conflict.

Russia is far from the only country interested in submarine cables. Tapping them is standard operating procedure for many countries, leading Brazil to lay its own cable specifically to avoid U.S. surveillance.

Fortunately, even if a shark or spy agency succeeds at cutting a particular cable, there is an entire network of other cables to pick up the slack. More than 200 cables run in the underwater world that powers our internet, making it possible for you to read this blog post whether you’re in Tallahassee or Tokyo.

Read the whole article at Geektime

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