Cyberthreat NATO’s new centre for cyber defence and cyber attacks will be fully operational in 2023
The new Cyber Operations Centre (CYOC) that was created in Mons in Belgium at the end of August is under the supervision of Major General Wolfgang Renner.
Reuter: NATO Cyber command to be fully operational in 2023
Renner, a German air force general, had taken over NATO’s Communication and Information Systems Group in March. The centre will be tasked with the coordination of the Alliance’s response to cyber threats and the development of active measures to attack against hackers and cyber terrorism.
The new centre had been agreed between NATO’s defence ministers during their North Atlantic Council meeting in November 2017. Once operational it is planned to house 70 experts form the Alliance’s member states.
There are still open questions as to an agreement across member states with respect to how to NATO’s Article 5 (collective defence) should include and cover cyber threats and attacks.
If member states will agree on a common view towards cyber threats and attacks, NATO could unite its capabilities through CYOC under the command of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) the Alliance’s highest military leader.