As cyber-attacks continue to increase in frequency, magnitude and sophistication one the most effective defences for public and private sector alike can be found through enhanced cooperation and partnership.
The agreement with Symantec will boost two-way information sharing, in particular on cyber threats. This is often the highest-impact, lowest-cost and fastest way to enhance cyber resilience, improve incident handling and mitigate vulnerability to attack.
“Today’s agreement is as an excellent and concrete example of how NATO and Industry can work side by side to confront difficult challenges in the cyber domain,” said Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, Assistant Secretary General of NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division, “when it comes to the cyber threat, none of us acting alone can address these challenges as effectively as if we act together. Increased information sharing translates into better cyber defence for NATO, Allies and our industry partners such as Symantec.”
A collective approach
“Addressing today’s cyber security challenges requires a collective approach between government and private industry,” said Cheri F. McGuire, Vice President of Global Government Affairs & Cybersecurity Policy at Symantec, “As cyber attacks become more prevalent and threaten society, it is essential that we work together and share threat intelligence to tackle critical cyber risks. The agreement between the NCI Agency and Symantec is another important step in our efforts to build trusted partnerships and defend global networks and critical infrastructure.”
“As a multilateral defence organization, NATO and its member nations are faced with a diverse set of cybersecurity threats,” said Kevin Hogan, Vice President of Security Technology and Response for Symantec, “Using our unique analytic capabilities, Symantec looks forward to partnering with NATO to help extend our insight into threats and strengthen our collective cyber defences.”
The NCI Agency is responsible for operating and defending NATO’s networks.
“NATO is facing new and increasingly dangerous threats to cybersecurity across the world and these threats could affect national economies and citizens. To avoid it, NCI Agency strongly believes in rapid and early information sharing on threats and vulnerabilities with leading companies worldwide, such as Symantec. Trust is the key to success,” said Koen Gijsbers NCI Agency General Manager.
At the Wales Summit last year, Heads of State and Government endorsed the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) to pave the way for collaboration with the private sector in addressing cyber threats and risks. The agreement with Symantec is the latest in a series of important agreements with Industry in the framework of the NICP.
