The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through its Office of Economic Security, Supply Chain Resilience Center (SCRC), and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), released a white paper on subsea cable security and resilience. It summarizes key insights and policy directions from discussions with the Departments of Defense, Justice, Commerce, Treasury, State, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Intelligence Community, alongside stakeholders from the subsea cable industry, including owners, operators, vendors, and manufacturers.
The white paper, ‘Priorities for DHS Engagement on Subsea Cable Security & Resilience,’ underscores that subsea cables are the backbone of global internet and telecommunications, handling about 99 percent of intercontinental data traffic. These cables are essential for phone calls and financial transactions, making their security and resilience critical to Americans’ daily lives. The paper addresses the security, economic, and regulatory aspects of this crucial telecommunications infrastructure and identifies opportunities for DHS and federal government partners to bolster U.S. leadership in the critical sector.
The agencies sought to improve the U.S. government’s understanding of threats to and vulnerabilities of the subsea cable ecosystem from a variety of industry perspectives, share and discuss the U.S. government’s policy priorities for cable infrastructure, and identify opportunities to strengthen the security and resilience of subsea cable systems cooperatively.
To address the changing landscape, the DHS has pinpointed three key priorities for better coordination and collaboration: strengthening public-private coordination mechanisms, streamlining U.S. permitting, licensing, and regulatory processes, and clarifying federal roles and responsibilities in emergency management and incident response.
“Many federal agencies have crucial equities and complex operational roles related to or directly dependent on the security and resilience of subsea cables,” Christa Brzozowski, assistant secretary for trade and economic security, said in a media statement. “The SCRC leveraged its position as a hub where industry and government can come together and guided an industry-informed discussion across the federal interagency on current and future challenges facing subsea cables and opportunities to mitigate these issues.”
“Securing subsea cable infrastructure requires real partnership between government and industry—and this white paper reflects shared priorities that link public national security outcomes to private investment and innovation,” David Mussington, executive assistant director for infrastructure security at CISA, said. “Enduring public-private partnership is an essential foundation to ensure that national and economic security interests and resources are incorporated and accounted for across many diverse stakeholders.”
While industry representatives provided many insights into the dynamics of the subsea cable market, this paper outlines a few key takeaways and common themes that highlight opportunities for DHS and its federal partners to improve coordination and collaboration with the private sector; streamline permitting, licensing, and regulatory processes; and clarify federal roles and responsibilities for cable emergency management and incident response.
The DHS is prioritizing a comprehensive strategy to maintain and enhance the nation’s leadership in the subsea cable industry, recognizing its critical role in global communications and economic stability. Central to this strategy is the promotion of secure and resilient subsea cable networks and supply chains, which involves countering threats from foreign adversaries and ensuring robust cybersecurity measures.
DHS is committed to fostering strong public/private partnerships to leverage expertise and resources, while also streamlining federal permitting and regulatory processes to facilitate efficient development and maintenance of these vital infrastructures. Additionally, the department emphasizes the importance of developing reliable subsea cable repair capacities to ensure rapid response to disruptions. International coordination is also a key focus, aimed at increasing network resilience and route diversity to mitigate risks. Finally, DHS supports responsible innovation in cable technologies, encouraging advancements that enhance performance and security, reinforcing its position as a global leader in subsea communications.
In every country, including the U.S., subsea cable owners must secure numerous approvals to lay and operate systems, involving compliance with various laws. This complex process spans multiple jurisdictions and is costly. In the U.S., interactions with the government are typically limited to specific regulatory discussions, involving multiple agencies with different missions. This decentralized approach includes state and local authorities, leading to fragmented processes. Industry representatives find the U.S. challenging for cable landings due to shifting expectations and longer permitting timelines, now averaging over three years, which increases investment risks.
The white paper recognizes that the subsea cable industry spans multiple critical infrastructure sectors, including communications and information technology, which means that it does not fit cleanly within existing U.S. government mechanisms for engaging critical infrastructure owners and operators, such as Sector Coordinating Councils (SCCs) and Government Coordinating Councils (GCCs). “This has limited DHS’s and the U.S. government’s opportunities to gain insights from the cable industry on its unique risks and challenges.”
It added that while some entities that own and operate U.S. cable systems are represented within either the IT or the communications SCCs, those bodies do not include other critical entities within the cable industry that, for example, build, maintain, or equip these systems. In effect, there currently exists no forum in which the full scope of the cable industry can effectively collaborate with the U.S. government to identify and address shared challenges.
The fragmented regulatory landscape and lengthy permitting processes have deterred investment in new subsea cable systems. To maintain leadership and security in this industry, the U.S. needs predictable and transparent regulations. Improved federal coordination with the cable industry is necessary for aligning with national and economic security goals.
The DHS recognizes the industry’s need for clear contact points during incidents involving U.S. government stakeholders or when the industry cannot independently maintain or restore national connectivity. Currently, federal duties for cable protection, outage reporting, threat intelligence sharing, cable operations, and crisis response are managed through various mechanisms across multiple departments and agencies. A clear operational plan and defined emergency protocols have not been effectively communicated to the industry.
Looking ahead, the DHS will enhance subsea cable industry engagement within the U.S. government by using existing infrastructure bodies like SCCs and GCCs and exploring new forums for information exchange. This collaboration aims to incorporate industry insights into national risk management and conduct joint exercises. The CIPAC review and sector risk management plans under NSM-22 offer chances to improve stakeholder engagement, including with the subsea cable industry.
The agency will assess cable permitting and licensing, focusing on federal authorities, to reduce redundancy and clarify requirements. Collaborating with partners, DHS will evaluate coastal cable risk management practices. Through Team Telecom, DHS will support faster, transparent FCC cable licensing with consistent security requirements. This aims to enhance the reliability of licensing processes, ensure secure cable infrastructure, and promote investment aligned with national priorities.
Effective emergency management relies on planning. NSM-22 tasks CISA with supporting incident management and national continuity. DHS will lead efforts to secure subsea cables, partnering with industry to address crises. DHS will also collaborate with federal partners to analyze cable incidents, identify risks, and improve future mitigation strategies.
Last month, the DHS rolled out recommendations for the secure development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in critical infrastructure. The ‘first-of-its-kind’ resource was crafted for all levels of the AI supply chain—cloud and compute providers, AI developers, critical infrastructure owners and operators—as well as civil society and public sector entities that protect consumers. In collaboration with industry and civil society, the alliance proposes new guidelines to promote responsible AI use in America’s essential services.
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