A massive cyberattack on NATO targets, like the 2017 WannaCry outbreak that infected hundreds of thousands of computers across the globe, could result a collective response under Article 5 of the alliance’s founding treaty, NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg wrote in Prospect Magazine earlier this week.
Stoltenberg stated that the alliance is constantly detecting malicious activity targeting its networks, and that it is adapting to this new reality by making sure it can “deter and defend against any aggression towards allies, whether it takes place in the physical world or the virtual one.” He also emphasized the need for NATO members to collaborate on cybersecurity, arguing that “no single country alone can secure cyber space, but by co-operating closely, sharing expertise, we will not only survive, but thrive in the new digital age.”
Read more: NATO: Attack Like WannaCry Could Prompt “Collective Defense Commitment”