US national security officials have reportedly warned companies including Google and Meta that their undersea internet cables are at risk of being tampered with by Chinese-controlled repair ships.
At the center of the concern is an undersea fiber-optic cable in the Pacific Ocean that is partly owned by Big Tech companies and is used to keep data flowing from the United States to Asia, according to reports. Cables that are difficult to access require maintenance by specialized companies, including Chinese-owned companies.
State Department officials have expressed concern about a particular company called SB Submarine Systems, which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and has taken steps to hide the location of repair vessels by turning off transponders. It seems there is. The Wall Street Journal reported.
The report, citing anonymous officials familiar with the situation, said the Fed was concerned that tampering with the cables could threaten U.S. commercial and military data. Biden administration officials have also reportedly been briefed on the concerns.
In one suspicious incident in 2019, an SBSS vessel called Bold Maverick reportedly turned its transponder on and off several times over a four-day period while floating in the same mile-long area off the coast of Singapore. ing.
Other instances of SBSS ships disappearing from tracking systems occurred near Taiwan and Indonesia, the magazine reported, citing a review of shipping data.
SBSS is majority-owned by state-owned China Telecom and was banned by the US in 2021 over national security concerns. One of the company’s executives is a member of the Chinese Communist Party.
The SBSS-owned vessel’s actions are said to be unusual for a cable repair ship, but one person familiar with the company said it may have been caused by insufficient satellite coverage. Stated.
U.S. officials cited several potential sources of concern, including the potential theft of intellectual property related to undersea cable facilities, the use of U.S. data streams, and the identification of military communications links.
The Post reached out to Google, Meta and the State Department for comment.
In a statement provided to the magazine, the National Security Council said the safety of submarine cables is rooted in the ability of trusted parties to construct, maintain and repair submarine cables “in a transparent and safe manner.” .
The use of satellites to track ships involved in repairs is “one such measure to support ship surveillance and safety.”
The issue comes at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and China. Western officials have repeatedly criticized the Chinese government’s aggressive actions against Taiwan.
SB Submarine Systems describes itself on its website as “Asia’s leading provider of submarine cable installation and maintenance solutions.” The company did not respond to requests for comment.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, denied the report.
“There is nothing wrong with Chinese companies carrying out their normal operations in accordance with the law,” he said. “We firmly oppose the United States’ generalization of the concept of national security to attack and slander Chinese companies.”
