Russian cyber attacks are a 'wake up call'

STORY: Amid a spate of global cyber attacks on governments and businesses, NATO and the European Union on Thursday announced plans to bolster cyber defense among allied nations.

"I call on allies to recommit to cyber defense. With more money, more expertise, and enhanced cooperation. This is a vital part of our collective defense and we are all in this together."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, during a speech in Rome, warned of growing cyberspace threats, noting recent attacks against satellites, critical infrastructure and government departments as part of Russia's war against Ukraine.

"Data wiping attacks have targeted Ukraine's government, commercial, and energy sectors. And a cyber attack on the railway system tried to disrupt not only the transport of military supplies to the front, but also the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens."

And it’s not just Europe. The U.S. Treasury said it repelled cyber attacks last month by a pro-Russian hacker group, preventing disruption.

The European Commission on Thursday said Russian cyber attacks against European Union countries and their partners were a "wake-up" call.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced an action plan to bolster cyber defense, and strengthen coordination between the military and civilian cyber communities.

“The Russian aggression against Ukraine is being accompanied by repeated cyber-attacks, not only against Ukraine but also against us and against our partner countries. // So we are proposing to increase our ability to prevent, to detect, to deter the cyber-attacks and defend ourselves against it. “

Last week the EU cybersecurity agency said the invasion of Ukraine had led to more damaging and widespread cybersecurity attacks in the EU in the year to July.