Germany is to join the ranks of NATO countries making its cyber warfare skills available to the alliance to help fight hacking and electronic warfare, officials said on Thursday.
NATO has designated cyberspace as a conflict domain alongside land, sea and air and says electronic attacks by the likes of Russia and China -- but also criminals and so-called "hacktivists" -- are becoming more frequent and more destructive.
German officials used a meeting of defence ministers in Brussels on Thursday to tell allies that Berlin would make its cyber capabilities available, including offensive elements.
"Just as we provide army, air force and naval forces to NATO, we are now also in a position to provide NATO capabilities on the issue of cyber within the national and legal framework that we have," German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said.
The US, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands and Estonia have all made their offensive cyber weapons available to the alliance -- and announced it publicly -- in the expectation that the threat of counterattack may deter would-be aggressors.
As with other military resources such as tanks and jets, alliance members retain control over their cyber capabilities and make them available to NATO when requested for missions and operations.
Targets for offensive cyber tactics can include anything with an internet connection, including computers and smartphones, right up to devices which control key machinery at power plants and transport networks.
Russia is seen by the West as the biggest cyber threat after a string of attacks blamed on the Kremlin on targets including world sports bodies, the US Democratic Party and the world chemical weapons watchdog in the Netherlands.
In a sign of the growing importance NATO countries attach to the cyber battlefield, this year Britain said it would spend 65 million pounds (74 million euros/$83 million) on offensive capabilities.
Related Links
Cyberwar - Internet Security News - Systems and Policy Issues
| Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.</span> |
||
| SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal |
 |
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only |
Russia moves to ban troops from using smartphones
Moscow (AFP) Feb 12, 2019
Russian lawmakers on Tuesday backed a bill that would ban soldiers from using smartphones while on duty to post online or give information to media. The move comes after journalists have used photos and videos posted on social media by troops to gain information on Russia's military involvement in Syria and in Ukraine - where Kiev and its Western allies say Moscow gives military backing to pro-Russian separatists. The Russian military has long sought to limit troops' use of social media to avo ... read more
from Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense http://bit.ly/2TSUzni
via space News
No comments: