WELCOME TO ALLIED COMMAND TRANSFORMATION

NATO's Strategic Warfare Development Command

Strengthening Cyber Resilience: NATO’s Cyber Coalition and Collective Defence

November 29, 2024

Cyberspace is a constantly contested domain, with NATO and its Allies facing a daily barrage of cyber threats—ranging from low-level attacks to highly sophisticated incidents.

NATO experiences hundreds of cyber incidents each month. These attacks range from phishing attempts and malware infections to more sophisticated and targeted cyber espionage operations. The nature of these cyber threats can vary widely, and not all incidents result in successful breaches or significant damage. NATO continuously works to enhance its cyber defences and resilience to protect its networks and member states from these persistent threats.

These malicious cyber activities aim to undermine NATO’s critical infrastructure, disrupt government services, harm societies, steal intellectual property, gather intelligence, and hinder military operations.

Cyber Coalition, one of the world’s largest cyber defence exercises, is designed by NATO’s Allied Command Transformation to strengthen NATO, its Allies, and partners’ ability to protect their networks and operate cohesively in cyberspace. This annual event, which has been a staple of NATO’s planning since 2008, provides a unique opportunity for collaboration, experience-sharing, the exchange of best practices, and experimentation. By working together, participants—including nations, organizations, and NATO itself—enhance their collective cyber resilience.

NATO takes security threats across all domains—cyber, maritime, land, air, and space—very seriously and is firmly committed to defending its allies in cyberspace. The Alliance’s cyber policy is defensive and in alignment with international obligations. NATO has made it clear that a serious cyberattack, or the cumulative impact of sustained malicious cyber activities, could invoke Article 5—the collective defence clause of NATO’s founding treaty.

This exercise brings together NATO commands, allies, and partners to strengthen the Alliance’s ability to deter, defend against, and respond to cyber threats. Through collaborative exercises and joint cyberspace operations, Cyber Coalition not only supports NATO’s core tasks but also contributes to its ongoing transformation efforts.

Cyber Coalition serves as an ideal platform for cyberspace experimentation, supporting NATO’s capability development and transformation in the cyber domain.