Atlantic Council

From Valentina Pop, the EUobserver:  Developing a Nato cyber-war capability and French opposition to joint nuclear planning are emerging as the main bones of contention in the debate on a new Nato "Strategic Concept," to be adopted next month. ...

The Pentagon's push for a Nato "active cyberdefence" is the most divisive issue so far, EUobserver has learned.

"Active cyberdefence is a very sensitive topic. Many experts have brought it up, that in order to have defence, you need some offence as well. I would be very surprised if Nato at 28 will find consensus to include it," a diplomat from one of the Baltic states said. ...

Following attacks in 2008 on its "classified military network" the Pentagon established a new cyber-command, making "active cyberdefence" one of its policy pillars, US deputy secretary of defence William J. Lynn said on 15 September in Brussels at an event hosted by the Security and Defence Agenda think-tank. ...

Mr Lynn in September called for "collective defence" - the core principle of the alliance - to be applied to computer networks. "The Cold War concepts of shared warning apply in the 21st century to cyber security. Just as our air defences, our missile defences have been linked so too do our cyber defences need to be linked as well," he said.

European allies are keen to protect themselves against Estonia-type cyber strikes (which saw bank and government websites paralysed in 2007). But they are showing little appetite for US-model "pre-emptive cyber-strikes" on hostile countries or organisations.

In a bolder move the report [from a group of experts led by Madeline Albright] suggested giving Mr Rasmussen or Nato generals "pre-delegated authority" to respond in emergencies "such as a missile or cyber attack." But the idea is unlikely to fly, diplomatic sources said.  (photo: NATO)  (via Passport)