Warning that the US’s broadband infrastructure is under unprecedented criminal attack by increasing levels of vandalism – leaving critical emergency services offline, hospitals struggling to function, law enforcement and government services disrupted, and communities vulnerable – the US broadband industry has launched the Strategic Threat Response and Infrastructure Knowledge Exchange (Strike).
Co-led by CableLabs subsidiary SCTE, and NCTA – the Internet and Television Association, the initiative confronts what the industry says is increasingly recognised as a serious national security crisis, representing a first-of-its-kind executive-level coalition addressing the spike in criminal attacks on essential broadband infrastructure.
Strike notes that in the June to December 2024 time period, 5,770 criminal acts of theft and vandalism were reported, amounting to approximately 824 per month, affecting more than 1.5 million customers. Furthermore, Strike says many of these incidents go beyond mere acts of vandalism, including deliberate assaults that disrupt key facilities including US military bases, 911 services, fire and police departments, healthcare facilities, law enforcement, government services and agencies, as well as educational and financial institutions endangering public safety and interrupting economic activity.
The core mission is four-fold: spotlight broadband damage and destruction as a top-tier national security threat; facilitate intelligence sharing to quickly identify and mitigate emerging threats; integrate policy advocacy, technical standards and operational protocols into a cohesive national defence strategy; and establish clear, unified communication with government stakeholders.
The initiative will aim to develop work done by the likes of the telecom industry summit on protecting critical communications infrastructure. Various technical working groups continue to highlight broadband infrastructure damage and destruction as a national security issue, urging the industry to respond effectively and collectively, bringing together various US industry groups, legislators, and federal and local law enforcement agencies.
Strike will also aim to unite executive leadership to accelerate best-practice adoption and deliver a coordinated, national security-driven strategy.
NCTA says it has experience in addressing these criminal threats to broadband infrastructure through its expertise in public policy, and advocating for federal US legislation to ensure attacks on public and private networks are treated equally and carry appropriate penalties. NCTA stresses that it has also taken the lead in encouraging agencies such as the US Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to increase intelligence sharing, treat these infrastructure attacks as domestic terrorism when the facts warrant it, and allocate more resources to high-incident regions.
Strike aims to complement NCTA’s ongoing work, building on its foundations to provide a unified voice to government stakeholders. Its executive forum is already drawing on senior executives from leading broadband operators such as Comcast, Charter, Altice USA, CableOne, Cox, GCI, Mediacom and Rogers. Comcast’s Elad Nafshi is serving as chair and Charter Communications’ Tom Monaghan as vice-chair,
Emphasising the urgency in finding a solution, NCTA chief technology officer and senior vice-president in the US internet and television association Rik Thakker said: “This isn’t simply an industry issue; it’s a nationwide emergency. Strike will mobilise our collective strength, aligning policy advocacy with strategic operations to strengthen our efforts to protect America’s critical communications infrastructure.”
Strike will also use SCTE’s operational expertise to surface cross-operator insights that strengthen broadband resilience. SCTE has worked to set industry standards that help providers assess business impacts, gain secure access to incident areas, coordinate effectively with federal agencies, evaluate location-specific risks, and maintain continuity and rapid recovery during crises.
“A threat to broadband infrastructure is a threat to our national security,” added Maria Popo, Strike president and SCTE CEO. “Strike ensures that executive-level visibility is directly connected to frontline realities. This coordinated approach is precisely what’s needed to tackle this emerging threat decisively.”
