Relevant Strategy Documents, Other Documents, and Communications.
Official documents of the intergovernmental organization designed to outline the policy plans, priorities, and principles in cybersecurity and cybersecurity-related matters.
- Addresses cyber threats (para. 20);
- Identifies cyber defence as part of NATO’s core task of collective defence;
- Reaffirming NATO’s defensive mandate, determined to employ the full range of capabilities, including cyber, to deter, defend against, and to counter the full spectrum of cyber threats, including those conducted as part of a hybrid campaign.
Guideline documents that lay out common approaches, frameworks, best practices etc. pertaining to cyber policy.
- Document issued by CCDCOE, affiliated entity - not officially endorsed by Allies;
- Comprehensive analysis of how existing international law applies to cyberspace and the more common cyber incidents that states encounter on a day-to-day basis;
- The Original Tallinn Manual focused mainly on the most severe cyberoperations, those violating the prohibition of the use of force in international relations.
Statements distributed by organizations and/or organizational agencies outlining positions, commitments, action plans, obligations etc. in the area of cyber policy.
Relevant Specialized Agencies and Key Positions.
The official nodal agencies within the organization established or proposed to be established and designated with responsibilities for supporting processes related to cyber policy matters.
- Responsible for connecting the Alliance, defending its networks, and providing rapid support to NATO operations and missions;
- Tasked with delivering critical capabilities, including: the command and control technology for NATO's ballistic missile defence, the Air Command and Control System, support to NATO's Joint ISR Initiative and Federated Mission Networking;
- Runs the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC), providing round the clock protection of NATO networks.
- Provides high-level political oversight on all aspects of the implementation of the NATO Policy on Cyber Defence;
- Apprised of major cyber incidents and attacks, and
- Exercises principal authority in cyber defence-related crisis management.
Lead committee for political governance and cyber defence policy in general, providing oversight and advice to Allied countries on NATO’s cyber defence efforts at the expert level.
- Responsible for coordinating cyber defence throughout NATO civilian and military bodies;
- Comprises the leaders of the policy, military, operational and technical bodies in NATO with responsibilities for cyber defence.
Constitutes the main committee for consultation on technical and implementation aspects of cyber defence.
Bear the specific responsibilities for identifying the statement of operational requirements, acquisition, implementation and operating of NATO’s cyber defence capabilities, along with the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA).
Responsible for the planning and conduct of the annual Cyber Coalition Exercise.
- Affiliated entity - not part of NATO structure;
- Supports its member nations and NATO with cyber defence expertise in the fields of technology, strategy, operations and law;
- Organizes Locked Shields, the world's largest and most complex international technical cyber defence exercise;
- Organizes the annual conference on cyber conflict, CyCon;
- Not part of NATO's military command or force structure.
Regulations and Directives.
Relevant Meetings, Activities, and External Cooperation.
Conferences and dialogues related to cyber policy matters carried out by the regional, sub-regional or multilateral organization.
NATO's largest cyber conference on the critical role cyber security plays in securing the Alliance.
- Annual exercise testing and training cyber defenders from across the Alliance in their ability to defend NATO and national networks involving around participants from Allies, partners, industry and academia;
- Aims to enhance coordination and collaboration between NATO and Allies, strengthen the ability to protect Alliance cyberspace, and conduct military operations in the cyber domain.
• Organized annually since 2009;
• Hosts all the focus areas of cyber conflict in a single event, allowing in-depth discussions on specific topics related to technology and malware development, education and training issues, legal aspects, etc.
Joint exercises, training programs, and other initiatives related to cyber policy matters undertaken by the organization.
- Provided by CCDCOE, entity affiliated to NATO;
- Unclassified course intended for mid-level managers responsible for the protection of critical information infrastructure.
- Provided by CCDCOE, entity affiliated to NATO;
- Course for senior level staff for whom cyberspace is a new area of responsibility or consideration.
- Provided by CCDCOE, entity affiliated to NATO;
- Technical courses organized twice a year with an aim to bring together and train computer and network security specialists.
- Provided by CCDCOE, entity affiliated to NATO;
- Offered twice per year, the course provides a practice-oriented survey of the international law applicable to cyber operations involving States.
• Biggest and most advanced international live-fire cyber defence exercise in the world: scenario-based real-time network defence exercise focusing on training security experts who protect IT systems on a daily basis;
• Organized annually.
Legally binding and non-legally binding agreement(s) and initiatives related to cyber policy matters undertaken by the organization with non-member States and other organizations.
Multi-year project to establish the Moldovan Armed Forces Cyber Incident Response Capability with a supporting cyber defence infrastructure.
• Cooperation on cybersecurity;
• Japan to join the NATO-accredited cyber defence hub (NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, CCDCOE) based in Tallinn.
Agreement to step up cooperation between the two organisations in a number of areas, including cyber security and defence
Includes cooperation in cyber defence
Agreement enhancing Lithuanian and NATO cooperation in cyber security.
Exploration of common solutions to security challenges in the arae of cyber defence during the Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme Information Day
• Cooperation in the field of countering cyber security risks at the heart of the talks;
• Examination of future cooperation prospects in cyber security.
Training to improve expertise and technical knowledge and to contribute to the strengthening of Iraqi national cyber defence capabilities
Facilitate information-sharing on cyber threats and best practices, improve the prevention of cyber incidents and increase Bulgaria’s resilience to cyber threats
Memorandum of Understanding on cyber defence cooperation.
Second generation Memorandum of Understanding, aims to further improve cyber defence cooperation and assistance between NATO and national cyber defence authorities.
Memorandum of Understanding on cyber defence cooperation.
Facilitates technical information sharing between NCIRC and CERT-EU to improve cyber incident prevention, detection adn response in both organisations, in line with their decision making autonomy and procedures.
Includes 2017 establishment of CERT team; follow-up multi-year project is currently under development
• Provides Ukraine with the necessary support to develop its strictly defensive, CSIRT-type technical capabilities, including laboratories to investigate cybersecurity incidents;
• Training and advisory dimension based on the interests of both Allies and Ukraine derived from the requirements of Ukraine's security and defence sector institutions.
• Meeting on NATO defense planning process;
• Included discussions on cyber security.
Concerning cooperation on cyber defence
Memorandum of Understanding with NATO Cyber Defence Management Board to increase cooperation on cyber security.
• Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Cyber Defence with NATO;
• Participates in various NATO cyber exercises such as Cyber Coalition, Crisis Management Exercise CMX, and others.