Recent Cyber Events and Possible
Implications for Armed Forces
#5 – September 2020
About this paper
This paper is the collaborative view of NATO CCDCOE researchers highlighting the potential effects
on the military of current events and of developments in cyberspace during the previous month,
based on publicly available information. It does not set out to be exhaustive. While the authors have
made every effort to describe events from a perspective relevant to NATO and partner nations, there
may be national and regional differences which this paper does not address.
The authors of this paper are independent researchers at the NATO CCDCOE; they do not represent
NATO, nor does this paper reflect NATO’s position. The aim of the paper is not to replace information
about vulnerabilities and incidents provided by CSIRTs and providers of CIS products and services.
1. Targeted threats against the
military and national security
Consolidating the ‘new normal’
‘NATO’s cybersecurity chief has admitted that
the agency ran through contingency plans A,
B, C and D to cope with the impact of the
Covid-19 outbreak, as he also conceded that
systems, protocol and planning may never
come back as they once were. Like many who
prefer to describe a ‘new normal’ as opposed
to a return to ‘business as usual’, Ian West
described how the planning for NATO’s
facilities around the world was fundamentally
exposed - as has been the case for many
organisations around the world. Addressing
the virtual conference, West said NATO was
as relevant to any discussion on ‘progressing
beyond this new normal’ as any other nation,
government or organisation because it was
“significantly impacted” by the pandemic.’ (SC
Magazine UK, 1 July 2020)
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the
modus operandi of many enterprises and
organisations worldwide, resulting in
measures taken to keep personnel safe and
adhere to respective national guidelines, all
while remaining operational. The
The underlying
fact is that home office and rotational staffing
of offices takes advantage of the internet and
CIS infrastructures at a magnitude never
before seen and it seems like the pandemic
has enabled new opportunities in the digital
word and challenges alike. With a rise in
demand for and use of digital collaboration
tools, security requirements, process and
procedures rise symmetrically.
These challenges are also faced by NATO, as
Cyber Security Centre Chief Ian West
reportedly addressed during the SC Media UK
digital congress. Not returning to offices puts
demands on CIS infrastructure, and to enable
staff to work from home, hundreds of laptops,
tablets and smartphones have had to be
issued in a short time.
