UK Proposes Tougher Penalties for Damage to Undersea Internet Cables

The government will publish a white paper that upgrades penalties for damage to undersea telecommunications cables. Under the 140-year-old Submarine Telegraph Act, fines are limited to £1,000; the proposal would raise them to several hundred thousand pounds and introduce custodial terms, complementing the 2023 National Security Act’s life-imprisonment provisions for foreign-state sabotage.

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UK authorities have recorded a rise in suspicious activity near the subsea cable network, which they attribute largely to Russia’s “shadow fleet”. The British Armed Forces disclosed operations by the Russian spy ship Yantar and a submarine probing the infrastructure. Vessels often sail under unclear ownership, making attribution below the threshold for traditional sabotage charges.

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The United Kingdom depends on 64 undersea cables that convey the bulk of international data traffic, enabling £1.4 trillion in daily financial transactions and supporting emergency, military and supply-chain communications. Repairs can take up to eight days to reach a break, meaning a prolonged outage could cripple phone, email and critical services across the economy.

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Technology Minister Baroness Lloyd of Effra said criminal penalties are needed to deter cable damage and pledged tougher consequences for reckless or deliberate acts. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology warned that the current system is lagging behind the evolving threat. New emergency powers will allow authorities to order protective measures and to deploy enhanced surveillance assets.

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Officials acknowledge that imposing penalties without proof of foreign-state direction may be legally complex, especially when vessel owners are offshore. Tracking shadow-fleet ships is hampered by frequent name and flag changes, raising doubts about enforceability. While the government cites rising suspicious activity, DSIT data show cable faults stem from accidental causes such as fishing gear, highlighting a gap between perceived threat and actual incidents.

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• “‘Tougher consequences’ In her speech, Lloyd will say: “There is a need for robust criminal penalties – to deter people from damaging cables.” — Baroness Lloyd of Effra, Technology Minister

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• “It often operates below the threshold of clear attribution – ambiguous in intent, hard to prove, and difficult to prosecute decisively.” — Baroness Lloyd of Effra

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• “Because right now, the system is not keeping up with the threat.” — Baroness Lloyd of Effra

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• “tougher consequences for those who act recklessly or deliberately” — Baroness Lloyd of Effra

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The white paper detailing the new powers is due later this year. Parliament will then debate the specific fine levels and custodial terms. The government also plans to expand surveillance of vessel activity and to deepen cooperation with foreign port authorities to improve detection and response to undersea cable threats.

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