NATO: Stepping up its game in cyber defence

Events in 2016 significantly raised the importance of cyberattacks, not just to NATO governments but to societies as well. The interference of Russia in the US election campaign, the first major cyberattack through the Internet of Things, the disruption of the Ukrainian energy grid and the publicity given to the greater use of cyber instruments against ISIL or the North Korean missile programme all served to increase public awareness of the multiplicity of the cyberthreat — whether for intelligence gathering, hybrid warfare operations, disruption or even outright destruction, not forgetting in the process the more traditional understanding of cyber as a growing domain of criminal activity. Against this background, NATO has had to raise its game in improving its own cyber defences. This paper outlines the various approaches the Alliance has taken and covers, in particular, NATO’s Cyber Defence Pledge to improve the investments, capability development and internal coordination of its member states; NATO’s recognition of cyber as an operational domain and what this means for NATO’s ability to conduct its missions in a cyber-contested military environment; and finally what NATO is doing to further assist its member states to develop their own capabilities by facilitating education and training, operational exercises, smart defence projects and engagement with industry through the NATO cyber industry partnership. The paper is intended to give a sense to the reader of where NATO is going and is likely to go in the future in making cyber defence part of its core collective defence mission.