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Researchers warn undersea cables carrying most data are vulnerable to attack
The scientists said undersea cables carry 99.0% of intercontinental data traffic and that drone and unmanned undersea vehicle capabilities are lowering the barrier to seabed warfare.
Undersea communication cables that support the international digital economy are becoming more vulnerable to attacks using low-cost drones and other unmanned undersea systems, Chinese military researchers warned, according to SCMP Economy.
The researchers said the seabed had long been viewed as a strategic blind spot due to the difficulty and cost of controlling it, but is now emerging as a new arena for great power rivalry.
They argued that small and medium-sized unmanned undersea vehicles can be deployed in batches and carry little risk of casualties, describing this as part of why the barrier to undersea warfare is lowering, and they pointed to the Aukus pact between Australia, Britain and the United States as a key driver.
SCMP Economy also cited the researchers' estimate that undersea cables carry 99.0% of intercontinental data traffic, supporting online services and cross-border financial transactions valued at around US$10.0 trillion.