STEPPING UP TO MEET SUBSEA SECURITY CHALLENGES
BY KATHY KIRCHNER
Network Operations VP
In February, the EU Commission released new recommendations aimed at bolstering the security and resilience of submarine cables. These guidelines address growing concerns over the increased risk of attacks on critical maritime infrastructure by malicious actors. This initiative comes amidst a surge of reports on subsea security, reflecting a rising anxiety in both the US and Europe about the heavy reliance on cables that carry 99% of international data traffic. This anxiety is further fueled by geopolitical tensions and conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, where the vulnerabilities of undersea infrastructure have become starkly evident. Both regions have witnessed the destruction or damage of crucial undersea assets, such as the Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea and internet cables in the Red Sea.
The significance of such incidents is magnified by the vast amounts of business-critical data that flow through subsea cables, driven by the escalating demand for cloud services. Major internet providers like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft have evolved from high bandwidth buyers to capacity providers, building business models that make them prime targets for cybercriminals. This shift underscores the need for heightened cybersecurity awareness within the sector. These tech giants demand proactive network monitoring from service providers, moving away from passive approaches.
Indigo, with 25 years of experience in engineering services, was poised to tackle subsea security challenges when it entered the market a few years ago.
Enhancing NOC Capabilities
A new best-practice approach to cybersecurity is crucial to mitigate the risk of state-sponsored attacks on transcontinental cables. The Network Operation Centre (NOC) must evolve to become security-aware, offering hyperscale internet companies a blend of fault and threat identification capabilities. At Indigo, we have implemented ITLV4 methodologies to ensure best practices. A modern NOC must cross-reference data during incident tracking to identify any security implications. While client experience and network performance remain priorities, early detection of cyberattacks is increasingly vital.
Service providers must recognize that remote monitoring tools themselves are targets for cybercriminals. Companies involved in network monitoring or management could be the weak link allowing malicious actors into a larger company's infrastructure. Indigo ensures full ownership of all connectivity related to remote monitoring, integral to protecting client infrastructure. Our robust MPLS technology-based IP Data Communication Network (DCN) features advanced security for high availability and redundancy, with full network recovery capabilities.
Developing Threat Intelligence
Soft skills are becoming as critical as technical competence in subsea cable monitoring. Security teams must build threat intelligence and familiarize themselves with IP subnets and organizations associated with criminal activities. Knowing where to look for potential client targets acts as an early warning system against evolving threats. Indigo's commitment to security began years ago, with the adoption of ISO 27001 standards in 2008. Our investment in Salesforce as a CRM platform supports predictive monitoring and maintenance powered by AI, alerting engineers to potential issues using historic data from tickets and event records.
Employee vigilance is another crucial area. At Indigo, new recruits undergo a rigorous vetting and onboarding process, followed by extensive training and adherence to our security policies. This level of detail is vital for US hyperscale's, as is our European footprint, helping navigate the complex EU regulations impacting the tech sector.
To read the complete article, check out Issue 135 of the Sub Tel Forum Magazine here
