Seven NATO nations and the Allied Command Transformation have formally established a cyber-defence centre of excellence.

NATO has formally established a cyber-defence ‘Centre of Excellence’ to conduct research and training into ‘cyber warfare’.

The new centre, to be located in Tallinn, Estonia, will be used by NATO to protect key information systems and develop initiatives to counter cyber attacks.

It will be run by a team of 30 staff, including specialists from the seven countries sponsoring the initiative – Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Spain.

The agreement comes a year after a major cyber attack on Estonian public and private institutions brought down key banking and state systems in Estonia.

The attack prompted NATO to conduct a thorough assessment of its approach to cyber defence, which lead to the development of the new cyber defence policy brought in at the start of 2008.

General James Mattis, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, said at last week’s official signing ceremony: “The need for a cyber defence centre to be opened today is compelling, it will help NATO defy and successfully counter the threats in this area.”

For more information, visit www.nato.int

By Natasha Piscitelli