Congress claims the internet cables that connect the world are vulnerable to cyberattacks and it is unclear who is in charge of protecting them. The question of jurisdiction remains murky, largely due to the vast amounts of private-sector ownership of the internet architecture. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Defense Department want Congress to believe that mitigating the security risks are a high priority.
Two years ago, DHS and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence published a report that warned, if a hacker gained access to a cable system the consequences would be dire. Attackers could achieve “unprecedented top-level visibility of multiple cable networks and data flows, knowledge of physical cable vulnerabilities, and the ability to disrupt and divert traffic,” the report read.
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