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US cloud dominance risks European security: report
🇵🇰 Pakistan /Conflict & Security

US cloud dominance risks European security: report

From Dawn · (5d ago) English Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A report indicates that over three-quarters of European countries rely on American cloud computing services for critical national security functions.
  • This dependency raises concerns about vulnerability to potential US "kill switches," particularly amid geopolitical tensions and past threats from the Trump administration.
  • The report highlights that 16 out of 28 studied countries, including major powers like Germany, Poland, and Britain, are at high risk, while only neutral Austria is classified as lower risk.

A sobering report from the Future of Technology Institute (FOTI) has laid bare a critical vulnerability within European security infrastructure: an overreliance on American cloud computing services for vital national security functions. The findings reveal that a staggering 23 out of 28 European nations studied, encompassing EU members and Britain, appear to depend on US tech giants like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Oracle for their most sensitive data and operations.

Russia and Putin are waging a war against a European country in Ukraine… but we also had a US president threatening Denmark and Greenland.

— Tobias BacherleHighlighting geopolitical instability and potential US actions that could affect European security.

This dependency is not merely a matter of technological convenience; it carries profound geopolitical implications. European governments are increasingly apprehensive that these services could be subject to a unilateral "kill switch" orchestrated by Washington, particularly if political tensions escalate. The report cites past instances, such as President Trump's threats towards Denmark and Greenland, and the withholding of satellite imagery services from Ukraine, as stark warnings of how national interests can override international cooperation.

This geopolitical shift needs to be taken in account.

— Tobias BacherleEmphasizing the need to consider the changing global political landscape in security planning.

The analysis identifies 16 countries, including key military powers such as Germany, Poland, and Britain, as being at high risk of such a disruption. Only neutral Austria, not a NATO member, is deemed to be at lower risk. While some European capitals are exploring domestic or regional alternatives, the report cautions that even "sovereign" cloud services offered by US firms may not fully insulate them from US jurisdiction, such as the CLOUD Act, which allows American authorities to demand data stored abroad.

If you can do this to Kyiv, you can do it to London, Brussels, Paris and Berlin.

— Katja BegoDrawing a parallel between the US withholding services from Ukraine and potential actions against major European capitals.

From a European perspective, this situation underscores a persistent challenge: balancing the benefits of cutting-edge American technology with the imperative of safeguarding national sovereignty and security. The report serves as an urgent call to action, urging European nations to accelerate efforts towards building truly independent and secure digital infrastructures, lest they remain susceptible to the whims of foreign policy decisions made in Washington.

It is a profound wake-up call moment. This is an existential national security risk.

— Katja BegoStressing the severity of the dependency on US cloud services for European national security.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dawn. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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