A NATO-backed initiative is looking to bolster the internet’s resilience against disruption by quite literally taking things to the next level: space.
The ambitious £2 million project – dubbed HEIST (Hybrid Space/Submarine Architecture Ensuring Infosec of Telecommunications) – received the greenlight on 31 July 2024, with partial funding coming from NATO’s Science for Peace and Security (SPS) programme.
The goal of the project is to create a space-based safety net capable of keeping information flowing even in the event of targeted attacks or accidental damage to crucial subsea internet cables.
“Through this SPS-supported project, NATO is bringing together Allies, prominent institutions including the Cornell, John Hopkins, and Swedish Defence Universities, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, as well as telecommunications companies to address the urgent need for a more resilient internet infrastructure worldwide,” explained Dr Eyup Turmus, SPS Advisor and Programme Manager at NATO.
The potential vulnerability of subsea cables, responsible for carrying approximately 99% of all international data traffic, has become increasingly apparent in recent years.
From accidental severing by ships’ anchors to concerns about state-sponsored sabotage, the spectre of widespread internet outages looms large. The HEIST project seeks to mitigate this risk by establishing a hybrid network that combines the existing robustness of subsea cables with the flexibility and reach of satellite communication.
The consortium behind HEIST – a multinational collaboration including universities and private companies from the US, Iceland, Sweden, and Switzerland – will focus on developing a working prototype within the next two years.
A live demonstration of the technology is slated to take place at the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden, a NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) Maritime Research Centre.
Beyond the technical challenges, the project will also grapple with the legal and jurisdictional complexities of operating a hybrid space/submarine network. International collaboration will be key to navigating these uncharted waters and ensuring the long-term viability of this ambitious project.
(Photo by Thom Schneider)
See also: France hit by coordinated attacks on telecom infrastructure
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