NATO - Defending against cyber attacks

Defending against cyber attacks

NATO and cyber defence

Against the background of rapidly developing technology, NATO is advancing its efforts to confront the wide range of cyber threats targeting the Alliance’s networks on a daily basis. NATO’s Strategic Concept and the 2012 Chicago Summit Declaration recognise that the growing sophistication of cyber attacks makes the protection of the Alliance’s information and communications systems an urgent task for NATO, and one on which its security now depends.

Collaborating against cyber threats

04 Jun. 2013

At an IT Security Conference in Amsterdam, hackers and IT security professionals talk to NATO about how best to defend against cyber threats.

Collaborating against cyber threats
04 Jun. 2013

At an IT Security Conference in Amsterdam, hackers and IT security professionals talk to NATO about how best to defend against cyber threats.
Exercising together against cyber attacks
20 Dec. 2011

For three days, 29 nations worked together to prevent various simulated computer viruses and malicious programmes from infiltrating their networks. A large-scale network exercise organized by NATO.
A former hacker now working on cybersecurity
29 Nov. 2011

Charlie Miller is a former hacker who has become an information security consultant. At a conference on cyber conflict held by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn he talked about the vulnerability of information systems
NATO Chronicles: Fighting the Invisible Enemy
20 Sep. 2011

Since the cyber attacks against NATO member Estonia in 2007, cyber threats have rapidly evolved in frequency and sophistication. The development and use of cyber tools can threaten and destabilise national and Euro-Atlantic security and stability.
War in cyberspace
24 Mar. 2009

Estonia is building its defences against cyberattacks. In 2007, the country was the victim of an unprecedented attack on its IT networks. This is a new challenge for NATO.
Cyber conflicts - exploring the concept
30 Jun. 2011

In early June, the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence invited computer experts and scientists from all over the world to discuss the new threats from the web. Cyber conflict was the focus.

High resolution photos

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics 30. Jun. 2009 In 2011 there were 403 million unique variants of malware, compared to 286 million in 2010. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012 (Photo by NCIRC NATO)

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics 24. Jun. 2009 Nearly 5,000 new vulnerabilities were discovered in 2011. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012 (Photo by NCIRC NATO)

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics In 2011 mobile malware presented a tangible threat to businesses and consumers for the first time. The number of vulnerabilities for mobile devices is rising, with malware authors reinventing existing malware and creating mobile-specific malware. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012.

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics As tablets and smartphones continue to gain popularity, increasing amounts of sensitive information will be available on these devices. Malware designed for data collection, the sending of content, and user tracking will also become a greater problem. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012.

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics 13. Nov. 2008 More than 232.4 million identities were exposed and subject to potential theft during 2011. Hacking incidents posed the greatest threat, exposing 187 million identities. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012 (Photo by Andres Rueda)

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics Workers are bringing their smartphones and tablets into the corporate environment faster than many organizations are able to secure and manage them. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics According to a recent Symantec survey, 50% of lost phones will not be returned. For unprotected phones, 96% of lost phones will have the data on that phone breached. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012.

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics The most frequent cause of data breaches that could lead to stolen identities is theft or loss of computers, smartphones, USB keys, and backup devices. Theft or loss related breaches exposed 18.5 million identities. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012.

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics Macs are not immune from cyber threats. A number of new threats emerged for Mac OS X in 2011, including trojans like MacDefender, a fake anti-virus programme. It looks convincing and it installs without requiring admin permission first. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012 (Photo by Sharyn Morrow)

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics In 2010, Stuxnet grabbed headlines around the world. It showed that targeted attacks could be used to cause physical damage in the real world, making the spectre of cyber-sabotage a reality. In October 2011, Stuxnets successor, Duqu, came to light. It uses a zero-day exploit to install spyware that records keystrokes and other system information. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012.

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics At 54% combined, the government/public sector, manufacturing and finance were the most targeted industries when it came to email cyber attacks in 2011. Source: Symantec

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics QR codes, a way for people to convert a barcode into a Web site link using a camera app on their smartphone, have become increasingly popular over the last couple of years. Its fast, convenient and dangerous. Malware authors have used it to install infected software on Android phones. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012.

Cyberdefence, Key trends and Statistics Companies are increasingly using cloud applications instead of company-managed software to store files or communicate. Although there are benefits to cloud computing, there are also cyber security and legal risks involved. Source: Symantec ISTR, April 2012.

Opinions

Security Policies 2.0: Can Facebook, Twitter and Co Make an Impact, - Stefanie Babst - Atlantic-Community.org - 6 Sept. 2011
NATO Secretary General and young professionals discuss new security challenges - 19 November 2010
"NATO Builds Its Cyberdefenses" - Article by SACT General Abrial outlining NATO’s cyberdefence efforts in the New York Times op-ed

NATO Review

Crime, computers and security in 2012 23 Jan. 2012 What's going to happen in 2012? Some things are easy to see: we'll see more attacks by criminals. We'll see more attacks by hactivists (like the infamous Anonymous group). But most importantly, we'll see that many of the future real-world crisis will have a cyber element in them as well. Certainly, any future war between technically developed nations is likely to incorporate computer attacks.

New threats: the cyber-dimension 08 Sep. 2011 September 11th, 2001 has often been called the day that changed everything. This might not be true for our day to day life, but in security, it really marked a new era. Together with the Twin Towers, our traditional perceptions of threats collapsed. The Cold War scenario that had dominated for over 50 years was radically and irrevocably altered.

Social media - the frontline of cyberdefence? 23 Mar. 2011 There are those who see social media as a threat to their security. Not just individuals, not just companies, but also governments. Why is this? And how much of a soft underbelly do social networks present?

China and the West: Keyboard conflicts 21 Apr. 2010 Both the West and China have highlighted the importance of the Web - in different ways. Here we look at how it is becoming centre stage in cyber attacks between the two and the efforts both sides are making to beef up their defences.