NATO could learn about cyber defense from Ukraine - Baerbock

NATO has been helping Ukraine in the field of cyber defense, but in turn, it can also learn a lot from the country at war.

This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Annalena Baerbock, who spoke at the first NATO conference on cyber security, held in Berlin, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to the official, the alliance can gain resilience against cyberattacks by helping protect partners.

"By supporting Ukraine in cyber defense, we are also protecting ourselves. That is why Germany provided Ukraine with 10,000 ground stations for a satellite internet system... And we are contributing to Ukraine's cyber potential by training cyber security personnel... Undoubtedly, we also have a lot to learn from Ukraine. At this moment, our Ukrainian friends probably have more experience in cyber defense than all of us put together," said the head of the German Foreign Ministry.

She recognized that if NATO's close partners are vulnerable, the Alliance itself is vulnerable, too. This became clear when Russia attacked the ViaSat communications network on the day of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The attack not only caused a blackout in parts of Ukraine – the effect spread to networks across Europe, and in Germany, renewable energy providers temporarily lost contact with more than 3,000 wind farms.

"Cyberattacks are not a game. They affect the real world. They threaten life and the economy. They pose a threat to our democracy and the rule of law...Cyberspace has become the nervous system of our society," Burbok stressed.

In addition, she added, cyberattacks have become a well-established business for organized crime to steal data and extort money. This illegal business is sometimes closely intertwined with state actors.

International law is fully applied in cyberspace, but it is violated every day, said the head of the German Foreign Ministry. She urged the allies not to sit idly by and watch this "continuous erosion", but to build a globally recognized state practice of responsible behavior in cyberspace.

In 2021, NATO recognized that collective cyber activity can be considered an armed attack, Baerbock recalled. According to her, the Allies must be ready to deal with malicious cyber incidents – in peace, crisis, and conflict. This requires updating the systems used by governments, as well as those relied on by industries and citizens, from telecommunications to energy infrastructure and even gaming.

The first NATO conference on cyber security is taking place in Berlin on November 9-10, hosted by the German Foreign Ministry. It has gathered politicians, military personnel, experts, and the private sector.