NATO leaders on Thursday (3 April) decided to develop the "structures and authorities" to carry out a new coordinated approach to cyber attacks. The new approach will aim to prevent and counter situations like the one seen in Estonia in summer 2007, when cyber terrorists crippled strategic network infrastructure, including banks.
The new tasks will be carried out by the Cyber Defence Management Authority (CDMA), the launch of which was expected at the Bucharest Summit. However, the launch of the new authority was delayed due to "technical and bureaucratic problems" despite there already being "a substantial agreement on the concept," according to a NATO official who spoke to EurActiv in Bucharest.
Despite strong pressure from some Eastern European members, and in particular Estonia, the competencies of the new authority will fall exclusively on Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty "for the foreseeable future," the official said. In other words, members will "consult together" in case of cyber attacks, but will not be bound to "assist" each other as foreseen in Article 5 of the Treaty.
With an increasing number of government activities moved to the Internet, it remains to be seen what the Alliance would do in case of a cyber attack. The fall of the Twin Towers in 2001 led to the application of Article 5 and the beginning of the war against Taleban in Afghanistan.
However, a similar military reaction is "completely excluded" in case of cyber attack at this stage, according a NATO official involved with cyber defence dossiers. Instead, NATO is exploring ways to coordinate a "political and technical response," the official told EurActiv.
