NATO backs cyber defence centre
NATO backs cyber defence centre
2008-05-16Newsfeed
A new cyber defence centre in Estonia has received backing from seven EU countries.
A new cyber defence centre in Estonia has received backing from seven EU countries.
The centre will be tasked with combating the type of cyber attacks which could bring down the Alliance's defence networks.
Last year the former Soviet republic was hit by weeks of denial of service attacks following a dispute with Russia.
In response Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Spain will fund and staff the centre in the Estonian capital Tallinn. The US is to send an observer to the project.
"We have seen in Estonia that a cyber attack can swiftly become an issue of national security. Cyber attacks can cripple societies," NATO spokesman James Appathurai said after a signing ceremony in Brussels.
By August the centre will have 30 staff providing research, consultation, training and development of cyber defences, which will remain the prime responsibility of national governments.
Moscow has denied that the flood of data which overloaded servers and caused computers to crash last year had anything to do with it, despite accusations from Estonia officials.
NATO has agreed to study any request for help by any ally facing a cyber attack.
Copyright © PA Business 2008
