Erik Brown

Carnegie’s Must-Read Pieces of 2025 Program directors share the analysis and research that stood out this year.

💡 Carnegie's 2025 must-reads: We asked Carnegie’s directors to select one piece each that they felt stood out or best represented the program’s work for the year.

See their selections here: carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...

Critically insecure critical infrastructure:
13 of 19 antenna sites in vicinity of today‘s Franco-German European Digital Sovereignty Summit in Berlin are equipped with Huawei technology.

www.wiwo.de/unternehmen/...

On Subsea Cables, Europe Should Avoid the Traps of the 5G Debate Restricting untrusted components from Europe’s subsea data cables strengthens governments’ national security and benefits European firms.

To increase the security of Europe's digital infrastructure, @erikbrown.bsky.social argues that European governments should adopt guidelines that restrict and exclude high-risk equipment and technology from Chinese telecommunication firms from being used in their undersea data cables.

Link to the full piece here: lawfaremedia.org/article/on-subsea-cables--europe-should-avoid-the-traps-of-the-5g-debate

To close, Europeans have understandably been focused in recent months on physical threats to cables. Now, given the FCC’s moves on cable cybersecurity, Europe cannot sit idly by and should not wait for U.S. pressure to act (9/9)

The New York Statement was launched nearly one year ago on the sidelines of UNGA: but not much has been publicly undertaken by the group since. Another topic of discussion should be cyber threats posed by untrusted cable repair vessels (8/9)

Internationally, the EU, United States, and other signatories of the “New York Joint Statement” should collectively ensure that all components of the subsea cable supply chain can be sources and produced at scale by trusted companies (7/9)

This can take form at multiple levels: the EU should prioritize the immediate rollout of its announced “Cable Security Toolbox.” National governments, and especially France, should require domestic companies to investigate whether they procure untrusted cable components (6/9)

Doing so would enhance the security of European critical digital infrastructure, benefit European firms, and help avoid another unnecessary transatlantic dispute—like that on 5G—over a threat perception now largely shared across the Atlantic (5/9)

Unlike the early days of the 5G debate, many European officials share U.S. concerns regarding untrusted vendors in their critical digital infrastructure. Rather than wait for Washington’s encouragement (or coercion), they should adopt similar measures on subsea cables (4/9)

This move mirrors steps taken under the first Trump admin on 5G to exclude firms like Huawei and ZTE from U.S. networks. Yet attempts to convince allies to do the same initially fell on deaf ears. Debates over 5G were a major transatlantic tension point during Trump 1.0 (3/9)

Last month, the FCC updated its U.S. subsea cable licensing rules for the first time since 2001—prohibiting the use of components on the FCC’s “Covered List” in any subsea cable systems that land in or connect to the United States (2/9)

New Piece: In @lawfaremedia.org, I argue that European governments should follow Washington’s lead in restricting and excluding high-risk equipment and technology from their subsea data cables (1/9)

Spain scraps Huawei-linked network expansion contract - Euractiv The deals with the Chinese tech giant have put the spotlight on the unusually close relations between Madrid and Beijing

Spain scraps Huawei-linked network expansion contract after all:

"The €9.8 million tender was scrapped for “digital strategy and strategic autonomy considerations,” a ministry spokesperson told Euractiv."

An overdue but correct decision.

www.euractiv.com/section/tech...

Today marks 2 months since the NB8++ statement:

"Stateless vessels, including those falsely claiming to fly a flag, do not have a responsible flag state and are not entitled to rights under [UNCLOS], including freedom of navigation."

Since then, 32 false flagged vessels have enjoyed that freedom

Submarine comms cable Shefa-2 has been damaged affecting a limited amount of users on Orkney and Shetland, islands north of Scotland. A hospital was caught without redundancy (shame card updated).

Tnx follower!

www.bbc.com/news/article...

These initiatives are in their early stages, and many details are yet to come. In particular, it remains unclear (at least publicly) and will be worth watching what the U.S. government expects from its allies and partners in all these strategies, especially in Europe. (7/7)

Finally, the Senate’s draft NDAA for FY26 includes a proposal for a “Working Group, Strategy, and Report on Ensuring the Security, Resilience, and Integrity of Undersea Cables.” (6/7)

Among the information requested is a detailed description of any PRC-owned equipment in cables operated by the firms, a history of cable maintenance or other services conducted by Russian or Chinese companies, and existing protocols for cable damage. (5/7)

Yesterday, two House Representatives and a DHS official sent a letter to the heads of Google, Microsoft, Meta, and AWS requesting significant levels of information related to the security of their subsea cable systems (4/7) homeland.house.gov/wp-content/u...

The rule, once adopted, will prevent entities that utilize PRC components from receiving licenses to build or operate cables landing in the United States or leasing capacity on U.S.-connected cables. (3/7)

Last week, the FCC announced that it will vote on a rule in early August prohibiting the use of Chinese technologies and equipment in subsea cables landing in the United States. (2/7) docs.fcc.gov/public/attac...

The U.S. government is increasingly directing its attention toward the physical protection and cybersecurity of its subsea data cables and related digital infrastructure. A flurry of recent initiatives sheds light on the specifics of this approach: 🧵(1/7)

US set to ban Chinese technology in submarine cables New rule aims to end key vulnerability in communications infrastructure after attack on American telecoms

Not a particularly surprising announcement, but will be curious to see how this translates into pressure on allies and partners to follow suit in coming months www.ft.com/content/8ac3...

YouTube video by Carnegie Endowment Subsea Cables and European Security

What are subsea data cables, and why are they important to European security? @sophiabesch.bsky.social explains on the latest #TheWorldUnpacked, with Jane Munga and @ibkardon.bsky.social: youtube.com/shorts/twSI9...

Question remains how willing Germany and others will be to firmly and consistently enforce such checks if ships lack insurance/sail without valid registration. Unfortunately, Estonia's pursuit of the Jaguar last month appears to be an exception to the norm so far

...If vessels fail to fly a valid flag in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, we will take appropriate action within international law. "

Time to act is now! More roving environmental catastrophes will continue to come, unless we put the foot down.

Three Eagle S crew members face trial over sabotage of Finnish-Estonian undersea cables Finnish police have concluded their investigation into the Eagle S oil tanker, suspected of damaging undersea infrastructure. Three crew members may face trial for aggravated sabotage.

Three crew members of the oil tanker #EagleS - the captain, 1st and 2nd officer - are facing trial for „aggravated sabotage and disruption of telecommunications“ in 🇫🇮 Finland.

“Under Finnish law, aggravated sabotage can carry significant prison sentences.”

The Baltic Sea at a Boil: Connecting the Shadow Fleet and Episodes of Subsea Infrastructure Sabotage Ships unofficially connected with Russia are presenting a new threat in the Baltic. Neighboring states must respond creatively and proactively.

My latest for @carnegieendowment.org: "The Baltic Sea at a Boil: Connecting the Shadow Fleet and Episodes of Subsea Infrastructure Sabotage.” carnegieendowment.org/research/202...

US visa policy targets foreign nationals who 'censor' Americans -State Dept. The United States on Wednesday announced a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign nationals who "censor" Americans.

Rubio welcomes the new German foreign minister to Washington with a threat to sanction foreign officials who clamp down on hate speech

www.reuters.com/business/med...