Belgium and Sweden Join NATO’s Shadowy ‘Cyber Defense Center of Excellence’
SputnikNews.com
31.05.2017
The flags of Belgium and Sweden were unfurled in front of NATO’s “Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence” in Tallinn, Estonia May 30, as the two nations joined the organization. Bulgaria and Portugal are also said to be mulling membership, as the alliance pushes for its constituents and allies to fight the alleged threat of cyberattacks.
The elevation brings the group’s membership to 17, with Belgium joining full members Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, UK and US. Sweden joins Austria and Finland as a “contributing participant” — the status granted to non-NATO members.
“International cooperation of like-minded nations in cyberdefense is becoming inevitable. We are witnessing a growing interest towards our applied research, trainings and exercises, but the preparedness of nations to contribute themselves reflects more than just recognition to the work that has been done. It proves we offer needed support for member nations and the international community in building their cyberdefense” said Sven Sakkov, Center Director, in a statement.
While launched in 2008, it is only since 2014 the Center has garnered mainstream attention — that year, then-President Barack Obama ordered a ramping-up of NATO’s cyberdefense capabilities, warning a cyberattack against a bloc member could trigger the same response as military aggression. Nonetheless, the center’s activities are somewhat opaque, although its website describes the organization as “a multinational and interdisciplinary hub of cyberdefense expertise.”
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