Lynn Seeks Global Cybersec Cooperation

Defense Deputy Secretary in Europe to Discuss Infosec with NATO
Lynn Seeks Global Cybersec Cooperation
Deputy Secretary William Lynn III is upholding the fourth of the Department of Defense's five-pillar strategy he outlined last month, meeting this week with NATO leaders in Europe to discuss joint cybersecurity initiatives.

Lynn is meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen before briefing the alliance's North Atlantic Council on U.S. cyber initiatives, according to a Defense Department press services report. Next, Lynn travels to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe to meet with Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe.

"It's an opportunity to convey the importance of cybersecurity to our NATO allies, as well as a chance to encourage them to secure NATO systems," said Bryan Whitman, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.

At a media briefing last month, in which Lynn unveiled what he characterized as five pillars of cybersecurity strategy aimed at shoring up the defense of military IT systems and networks, the deputy secretary explained the fourth pillar as the pursuit of a collective, international cyberdefense.

"There's a very strong logic to utilizing collective defenses," Lynn said. "It's clear you're more effective in the cyberworld, the more threated signatures that you understand and share. And so the Cold War concept of shared warning here really applies."

Lynn said the meeting with NATO leaders will foster the development of a "new strategic concept that NATO has where cybersecurity's playing an important role."

Earlier this year, Lynn had traveled to Britain, Canada and Australia with the goal to build cybersecurity cooperation with U.S. allies.

According to the Defense Department report, the Canadian, British and Australian militaries have agreed to work closely with the United States to combat the threat to military information systems, recognizing that cyber attacks are not just military threats, but also threats to critical infrastructures and overall economic well-being.

Lynn's briefing will update NATO's 28 nations on U.S. initiatives and suggest ways to improve cybersecurity for the alliance and among the individual countries, Whitman said. Lynn also will discuss non-cybersecurity threats with U.S. allies.


About the Author

Eric Chabrow

Eric Chabrow

Retired Executive Editor, GovInfoSecurity

Chabrow, who retired at the end of 2017, hosted and produced the semi-weekly podcast ISMG Security Report and oversaw ISMG's GovInfoSecurity and InfoRiskToday. He's a veteran multimedia journalist who has covered information technology, government and business.




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