Conference at BTH in NATO-Sponsored Project to Secure Critical Internet Infrastructure

Undersea cables form the backbone of today’s internet and are vital to global communication and the economy. More than 95 percent of the world’s intercontinental internet traffic is transmitted through these fiber-optic networks, which run along the ocean floor. To protect this critical infrastructure from sabotage and disruption, the NATO-sponsored project HEIST (Hybrid Space-Submarine Architecture Ensuring Infosec of Telecommunications) is now underway.

Researchers, industry partners, and government agencies from several countries are now gathering at Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) in Karlskrona for a conference on the project. The goal is to explore new solutions that can strengthen critical internet infrastructure.

The HEIST project aims to develop a more resilient infrastructure capable of handling disruptions. Solutions include rapidly identifying cable breaks and rerouting internet traffic via satellites.

The conference brings together over 80 experts from the public and private sectors, as well as academia. Representatives from the Swedish Armed Forces, MSB, PTS, the Coast Guard, and FMV are present, alongside companies such as Saab, Ericsson, NKT, Telenor, Viasat, and Amazon. Researchers from universities including Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, ETH Zurich, and BTH are also participating.

The project is led by Cornell University and supported by NATO’s Science for Peace and Security program.

Source and further reading: https://www.bth.se/nyheter/fran-havsbotten-till-satellit-nu-startar-det-natostodda-projektet-som-ska-skydda-varldens-internettrafik/