NATO Defense Ministers Shape Cyber Defense Policy

Mar 12 2011 TRDEFENCE

Brussels – NATO defense ministers meeting here March 10 and 11 have agreed on a policy to improve the alliance’s defenses against growing cyber threats. The concept defines the protection of NATO’s own networks as the alliance’s fundamental cyber defense responsibility, but also stresses the importance of cooperating with other international organizations, such as the European Union or the United Nations. “The concept is the first step toward the approval of a new cyber defense policy to update the current one [dating back to 2008],” said a NATO official. “It takes into account the fact that cyber defense is evolving fast and the need to update capabilities to deal with the threat.” As part of NATO’s policy, its Computer Incident Response Centre is being brought up to full operational capacity by 2012. This means investing in equipment and creating cyber response teams to systematically help member states that request assistance, the official said. Another official explained that a call for tender is due out in early May and is likely to contain opportunities worth about 30 million euros ($41.6 million).