The changing global security environment has increasingly drawn attention to submarine communication cables – critical infrastructures without which the modern digital society could not function. This strategically important topic was the focus of a conference organized by our Institute, held on 1 October 2025 in the John Lukacs Lounge of the Ludovika Campus Wing Building.
The event aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the role and security challenges of submarine communication networks while exploring issues at the intersection of telecommunications, security policy, and international law.
The conference was opened by Dr. Balázs Bartóki-Gönczy, Director of the Institute, who emphasized in his welcome address that the Institute has recently expanded its research portfolio to include telecommunications, and that the topic of submarine cables aptly illustrates the strategic importance of this new focus area. He pointed out that more than 1.4 million kilometres of submarine cables span the globe, carrying the vast majority of the world’s internet traffic - making their protection not only a technological concern but also an economic and geopolitical one.
The historical development of telecommunication cables was presented by Dr István Bartolits, honorary associate professor at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and an expert at the National Media and Infocommunications Authority. His presentation traced the evolution of submarine communications from the 19th-century telegraph cables to today’s high-capacity optical fibre networks.
Next, Dóra Kovács, technical analyst at the NMHH’s Technology Analysis Department, discussed how submarine cables have become indispensable elements of global information exchange. She underlined that these invisible infrastructures ensure the continuity of data transmission, the security of financial transactions, and the operation of the digital economy.
Krisztina Tilinger, researcher at our Institute and expert in the law of the sea, analysed the international legal status of submarine cables and the challenges related to acts of sabotage. She noted that current legal frameworks only partially address the issue of intentional cable damage, as questions of jurisdiction on the high seas and evidentiary difficulties often hinder accountability. She emphasized that strengthening international cooperation, information sharing, and coordination among states is essential to guarantee the long-term security of submarine infrastructures.
In the closing presentation, Tamás Balogh, international lawyer, maritime historian, and shipwreck researcher, offered a broader perspective on marine infrastructures. He highlighted that the ocean floor hosts not only data cables but also energy, transport, and logistics networks that together underpin the functioning of the modern world.
The conference reaffirmed that the protection of submarine cables is a complex, multidisciplinary issue requiring close cooperation between the fields of technology, security policy, and law. Our Institute remains committed to advancing scientific research and professional dialogue in this area, recognizing that the safeguarding of these hidden networks is vital to the resilience of the digital future.
