If the internet is primarily dependent on cables that run through oceans connecting different countries and continents. During a war, anyone can cut off a country’s access to the internet. Are there any backup or mitigant in place to avoid this? What happens if you cut the cable?

Question

If the internet is primarily dependent on cables that run through oceans connecting different countries and continents. During a war, anyone can cut off a country’s access to the internet. Are there any backup or mitigant in place to avoid this? What happens if you cut the cable?

In: Technology

Answer 1

Think of it like closing an interstate highway. If I-95 suddenly disappeared, you could still drive from Miami to New York; you’d just have to take alternative (longer) paths, and you would be further slowed by all the other cars taking that route instead of I-95.

Internet routing works the same way. There are redundancies built into the system, whereby traffic will take an alternative path if its preferred route is blocked. Now if ALL the cables got cut and there were no alternative paths to take, then yes. The affected continents would be effectively cut off from each other for internet purposes.