North Atlantic Council is warning of malicious cyber activities during COVID-19 pandemic

North Atlantic Council issued a statement warning of concerning malicious cyber activities against entities involved in the fight against COVID-19.

A statement published by the North Atlantic Council condemns malicious cyber activities that are targeting critical entities involved in the response against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Threat actors are targeting healthcare services, hospitals, and research institutes endangering the lives of citizens while these organizations are working to protect the population from the Coronavirus outbreak.

NATO invites members of the alliance in supporting each other and offers full support against malicious cyber activities that target essential services.

The North Atlantic Council ‘s statement highlights that cyber defence is part of NATO’s core task of collective defence

Improving the protection of critical infrastructure, building resilience and bolstering cyber defences (including through full implementation of NATO’s Cyber Defense Pledge) are the pillars of the response to the malicious cyber operations.

“As stated at the 2018 NATO Summit in Brussels, cyber defence is part of NATO’s core task of collective defence. Reaffirming NATO’s defensive mandate, we are determined to employ the full range of capabilities, including cyber, to deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats.” reads the statement. “NATO will continue to adapt to the evolving cyber threat landscape, which is affected by both state and non-state actors, including state-sponsored.”

We all stand to benefit from a rules-based, predictable, open, free, and secure cyberspace. NATO reiterates that international law applies in cyberspace and must be respected. All states have an important role to play in promoting and upholding voluntary norms of responsible state behaviour and in countering destabilising and malicious cyber activities.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – North Atlantic Council, cybersecurity)

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