The Next Step in Global Connectivity: Legal Challenges in the Shift from Subsea Cables to Satellites

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216224%3A14220%2F25%3A00141879" target="_blank" >RIV/00216224:14220/25:00141879 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://ccdcoe.org/uploads/2025/05/CyCon_2025_The-Proceedings-of-the-17th-International-Conference-on-Cyber-Conflict.pdf" target="_blank" >https://ccdcoe.org/uploads/2025/05/CyCon_2025_The-Proceedings-of-the-17th-International-Conference-on-Cyber-Conflict.pdf</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.23919/CyCon65856.2025.11103582" target="_blank" >10.23919/CyCon65856.2025.11103582</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

The Next Step in Global Connectivity: Legal Challenges in the Shift from Subsea Cables to Satellites

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

In today’s digitalized society, our daily lives are inextricably linked to cyberspace and the technologies that sustain it. Thus, the protection of critical infrastructure, such as internet infrastructure, has become a priority. However, ongoing international conflicts, rising political tensions, and the increasing likelihood of human error – capable of causing global cyber outages – are forcing a re-evaluation of our previous decisions in this domain. Subsea fibre-optic cables, responsible for carrying more than 95% of international data, have emerged as high-risk targets for cyber operations and potential threats of power struggles between states like the United States, China, and Russia. In response, initiatives such as NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Programme or those coming from Taiwan are exploring the next step or ‘Plan B’ – the development of a more resilient global internet infrastructure built on secure satellite networks. This paper investigates the legal challenges facing both subsea cables and satellite infrastructure as critical components of global connectivity. While satellite infrastructure may initially appear more resilient, this paper argues that the existing regulatory framework and current geopolitical landscape could undermine its perceived advantages and that legislation for the sea is more evolved than that for outer space. Moreover, in the context of armed conflict, reliance on satellite networks may introduce vulnerabilities that could generate even greater uncertainties than those posed by subsea cables. The findings highlight the need for a clearer legal and regulatory approach to secure both subsea and satellite infrastructure, which will make explicit the rules of responsibility and liability in these arenas, in the evolving landscape of cyber warfare.

Název v anglickém jazyce

The Next Step in Global Connectivity: Legal Challenges in the Shift from Subsea Cables to Satellites

Popis výsledku anglicky

In today’s digitalized society, our daily lives are inextricably linked to cyberspace and the technologies that sustain it. Thus, the protection of critical infrastructure, such as internet infrastructure, has become a priority. However, ongoing international conflicts, rising political tensions, and the increasing likelihood of human error – capable of causing global cyber outages – are forcing a re-evaluation of our previous decisions in this domain. Subsea fibre-optic cables, responsible for carrying more than 95% of international data, have emerged as high-risk targets for cyber operations and potential threats of power struggles between states like the United States, China, and Russia. In response, initiatives such as NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Programme or those coming from Taiwan are exploring the next step or ‘Plan B’ – the development of a more resilient global internet infrastructure built on secure satellite networks. This paper investigates the legal challenges facing both subsea cables and satellite infrastructure as critical components of global connectivity. While satellite infrastructure may initially appear more resilient, this paper argues that the existing regulatory framework and current geopolitical landscape could undermine its perceived advantages and that legislation for the sea is more evolved than that for outer space. Moreover, in the context of armed conflict, reliance on satellite networks may introduce vulnerabilities that could generate even greater uncertainties than those posed by subsea cables. The findings highlight the need for a clearer legal and regulatory approach to secure both subsea and satellite infrastructure, which will make explicit the rules of responsibility and liability in these arenas, in the evolving landscape of cyber warfare.

Druh

D - Stať ve sborníku

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

50501 - Law

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

N - Vyzkumna aktivita podporovana z neverejnych zdroju

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název statě ve sborníku

17th International Conference on Cyber Conflict:The Next Step

ISBN

9789916978986

ISSN

2325-5366

e-ISSN

—

Počet stran výsledku

17

Strana od-do

39-55

Název nakladatele

Nato CCDCOE Publications

Místo vydání

Tallinn

Místo konání akce

Tallinn

Datum konání akce

1. 1. 2025

Typ akce podle státní příslušnosti

WRD - Celosvětová akce

Kód UT WoS článku

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