
NATO has announced plans to establish a NATO Integrated Cyber Defense Center (NICC) at its headquarters in Belgium, with the aim of protecting Allies’ cyberspace. The initiative was announced during the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, DC, to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Alliance.
The NICC will inform NATO military commanders about potential threats and vulnerabilities in cyberspace, involving both civilian and military personnel, as well as cyber security experts. The move comes in response to an increase in cyber attacks since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO and allies have faced constant cyber attacks. The main threats come from Russian state actors such as APT 29 (CozyBear, MidnightBlizzard) and APT 28 (FancyBear), as well as hacktivist groups such as NoName057, KillNet and Anonymous Sudan. These groups systematically attack government institutions and critical infrastructure of allies using DDoS attacks and other methods.
The new Center will be based at NATO headquarters in Belgium – known as SHAPE, with more details to be announced in the coming months. SHAPE is also home to NATO Operations Command, responsible for all NATO operations in the world.