Keeping the lines of communication open
The murky waters of the Baltic Sea are home to internet cables that enable commerce and communications between nations. According to internet security expert Patrik Fältström, the threat to them has grown significantly in recent years.
In the modern world, information technology is critical for survival. We use our internet connections to shop, to work, to stay in touch with loved ones and to access medical care. That makes our communications infrastructure a major target for those who are seeking to disrupt our way of life.
Patrik Fältström is Head of Security at Netnod, an independent company that manages the largest internet exchange points in the Nordics. He says the threat to such infrastructure has surged in recent years.
“The threat landscape has changed over the past 10 years and over the past two years it has become much more serious,” he says during an interview for Saab’s Shielding the Baltic Sea film series. “There are very many functions and processes in society which previously could operate without the internet, but today need the internet. Whether it’s for the processes themselves or for monitoring and knowing whether things are working or not, such as water supply, electricity supply, or shipping goods.”
“The threat landscape has changed over the past 10 years and over the past two years it has become much more serious,”
Vulnerable assets in the Baltic Sea
As shown by the attack on the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines in September 2022, assets lying on the bottom of the Baltic Sea are not immune from attack. Mr Fältström says Sweden is among the countries that could face significant disruptions in the event of an attack on the internet cables lying on the Baltic’s floor.
“There are many different cables connecting Sweden and the Baltic states, Sweden and Finland, Sweden and Gotland,” he says. “With the increased threat level in society, all operators have reviewed their connections to others, including submarine cables.”
He warns some countries in the region are more open to this kind of attack than others.
“There are many different cables connecting Sweden and the Baltic states, Sweden and Finland, Sweden and Gotland,”
“The countries that are most vulnerable to cable sabotage are those without land connections to other counties, but also those countries, for example the Baltic states bordering Russia, where communication may not be desired.”
Want to learn more? Our Shielding the Baltic Sea film series looks at the security challenges facing the Baltic as well as some of the advanced technological solutions that are helping to address them. Watch it here.