Cybersecurity

In cyberspace, adversaries are growing more sophisticated and outpacing advancements in policy, education, and defense technologies. In an era of great-power competition, it is vital that policy makers and tech experts understand the underlying factors and motivations impacting the field of cybersecurity. With a focus on strategy and foresight, the Atlantic Council shifts attention from singular incidents to better understand larger cyber campaigns.

Recent analysis

New NATO contract will be cyber defense template for Europe and North America

Report
Jan 29, 2026

The US needs a cybersecurity roadmap

By
Franklin D. Kramer, Robert J. Butler, and Melanie J. Teplinsky

A national cybersecurity strategy will require an operational road map.

Cybersecurity
Security & Defense

New NATO contract will be cyber defense template for Europe and North America

Report
Sep 30, 2025

404 Accountability not found: Spyware accountability through software liability

By
Sara Ann Brackett, Jen Roberts

This report proposes a legislative safe harbor framework that would incentivize technology companies to engage in spyware accountability.

Cybersecurity
United Kingdom

New NATO contract will be cyber defense template for Europe and North America

Issue Brief
Sep 10, 2025

Mythical Beasts: Diving into the depths of the global spyware market

By
Sarah Graham, Jen Roberts, and Nitansha Bansal

The second edition of the Mythical Beasts project assess how the global spyware market has developed and changed over the past year.

Cybersecurity

Programs

The Atlantic Council Technology Programs comprises five existing efforts—the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), the GeoTech Center, the Cyber Statecraft Initiative, the Democracy + Tech Initiative, and the Capacity Building Initiative. These operations work together to address the geopolitical implications of technology and provide policymakers and global stakeholders necessary research, insights, and convenings to address challenges around global technology and ensure its responsible advancement.

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Content

NATOSource

Feb 29, 2012

New NATO contract will be cyber defense template for Europe and North America

By Carola Hoyos, the Financial Times

From Carola Hoyos, the Financial Times:  Nato is set to award the biggest cyber defence contract ever agreed outside the US on Wednesday, a move expected to prompt the alliance’s 28-member countries to follow suit and roll out their own cyber security systems.

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

Transcript

Feb 27, 2012

Transcript: Transforming Toward a Smarter Alliance – NATO’s Role in Cyber Security

By Jason Harmala

Full transcript of the February 27, 2012 event “Transforming Toward a Smarter Alliance: NATO’s Role in Cyber Security.”

Cybersecurity NATO

Issue Brief

Feb 27, 2012

NATO’s Cyber Capabilities: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

By Jason Healey and Leendert van Bochoven

Jason Healey, director of the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, and Leendert van Bochoven, NATO and European Defense leader at IBM, argue that NATO must “double down” on a core set of priorities following the recent cyber defense policy, leveraging the best capabilities, policies, and practices from member nations and industry partners. Download the PDF

Cybersecurity NATO

Event Recap

Feb 27, 2012

Transforming Toward a Smarter Alliance: NATO’s Role in Cyber Security

By Adrienne Chuck

On February 27, the Atlantic Council hosted a panel discussion on NATO’s evolving role in cyber defense and security. The panel discussed key cyber challenges confronting the transatlantic Alliance.

Cybersecurity NATO

Issue Brief

Feb 22, 2012

Beyond Attribution: Seeking National Responsibility in Cyberspace

By Jason Healey

For more than two decades, cyber defenders, intelligence analysts, and policymakers have struggled to determine the source of the most damaging attacks. This “attribution problem” will only become more critical as we move into a new era of cyber conflict with even more attacks ignored, encouraged, supported, or conducted by national governments according to Jason […]

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

NATOSource

Feb 20, 2012

US defense spending on cyber, special ops stays flat

By Lolita C. Baldor, the AP

From Lolita C. Baldor, the AP:  Spending on two of the Pentagon’s top priorities, cybersecurity and special operations forces, would largely remain flat or dip slightly in 2013

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

NATOSource

Feb 16, 2012

Is China a Paper Tiger in Cyberspace?

By Adam Segal, the Council on Foreign Relations

From Adam Segal, the Council on Foreign Relations:  Two recent studies of national cyber power have placed China near the bottom of the table.

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

NATOSource

Feb 13, 2012

Head of US Army Cyber Command: ‘Cyberspace requires a world-class cyber warrior’

By Peter Apps, Reuters

From Peter Apps, Reuters:  With growing worries about the threat of "cyber warfare," militaries around the world are racing to recruit the computer specialists they believe may be central to the conflicts of the 21st century. But whilst money is plentiful for new forces of "cyber warriors," attracting often individualistic technical specialists and hackers into […]

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

NATOSource

Feb 8, 2012

Syria Cyber War Opens New Front In Russia

By Jonathan Earle, the Moscow Times

From Jonathan Earle, the Moscow Times:  The cyber front of Syria’s year-old civil war spread to Russia this week as pro- and anti-government bots splashed criticism and expressions of gratitude across the Russian Internet, and Syrian hackers attempted to commandeer the website of a Russian embassy.

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

NATOSource

Feb 8, 2012

Cyber battles over Syria raging across the Internet

By Abigail Fielding-Smith, the Financial Times

From Abigail Fielding-Smith, the Financial Times:  The conflict between supporters and opponents of the regime of Mr Assad is being fought just as urgently in the cybersphere as on the streets of Homs, and goes far beyond trading insults. Two shadowy transnational armies slug it out on a daily basis for control not of streets […]

Cybersecurity Security & Defense
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Experts

Fellow

Yasmine Abdillahi

Nonresident Fellow

Africa Center

Africa Cybersecurity

Fellow

Michael Allen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Cybersecurity

Fellow

Victor Atkins

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Crisis Management Cybersecurity

Staff

Nitansha Bansal

Associate Director

Cyber Statecraft Initiative

Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity

Fellow

Tyson Barker

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Fellow

Ryan Berger

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

Americas Cybersecurity
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