Policy · 17h ago
The UK government’s White Paper proposes replacing protections dating to 1885 with prison terms of up to 14 years for intentional damage to subsea cables and pipelines. It also proposes penalties for reckless or negligent damage. The government says these links carry about 99% of the UK’s international data traffic and supply 74% of its gas.
The proposal would require subsea telecoms operators to identify and manage security risks, while giving ministers power to direct operators and repair providers on national-security grounds. Separate rules would cover fiber-optic sensing, which uses cables to detect activity at sea but can expose sensitive information. That shifts the response from punishing damage after it happens to setting duties and enabling intervention beforehand.
If enacted, the duties would make resilience a direct obligation for operators, but they would not settle questions of responsibility and jurisdiction when damage may be accidental or a suspected foreign actor cannot be prosecuted.
3 sources covering this story
The Record from Recorded Future
UK proposes 14-year prison terms for undersea cable sabotage
In an era of hybrid threats, the British government wants to update the Submarine Telegraph Act 1885, which carries a maximum fine of £1,000 and five years’ imprisonment in cases of deliberate damage.
UK proposes 14-year jail terms for subsea cable saboteurs - Help Net Security
The UK proposes prison sentences of up to 14 years for undersea cable sabotage and unlimited fines for ship owners who damage seabed links.
UK threatens subsea cable saboteurs with 14 years behind bars
Whitehall wants tougher penalties and new powers over telecoms operators as Russian activity raises alarm
Part of the PlainSec briefing for 2026-10-24