video

99% of the Internet Runs Through These Cables and They’re at Risk

How subsea cable security is evolving across Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

by Erik BrownJane MungaSophia Besch, and Elina Noor
Published on November 20, 2025

Nearly 600 fiber-optic cables lie across the ocean floor, quietly carrying 99% of global data and more than $10 trillion in financial transactions every day. For decades, these subsea cables have been “out of sight, out of mind.” But a wave of suspicious cable cuts, geopolitical competition, and physical vulnerabilities is changing that.

In this video, Carnegie experts break down how subsea cable security is evolving across Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.