NATO faces a growing barrage of cyberattacks from state actors, hacktivists, and criminals, which target not only military systems but also critical infrastructure and civilian networks, potentially crippling Alliance operations during crises.
The Ukraine war fuels this escalation, but the cyber threat is a separate, evolving issue. Malicious actors engage in covert intelligence gathering, infrastructure attacks, and disinformation campaigns, demanding a multi-faceted defense strategy from NATO.
Their tactics range from basic social engineering to highly sophisticated infiltration methods, where successful attacks could compromise NATO’s strategic planning, including its response to the Ukraine conflict and future defense investments.
APT29, a cyberespionage group attributed to Russia’s SVR, targets European and NATO governments for political and diplomatic intelligence, which compromises technology firms to gain access to the public sector and leverages cloud environments to make detection and expulsion difficult.
They employ spear-phishing against diplomatic entities and have breached government agencies in Europe and the US, as recent targets include political parties in Germany and the US, suggesting APT29 seeks future government policy information.
Chinese cyberespionage is becoming stealthier, bypassing traditional user-based detection methods by targeting network edge vulnerabilities and leveraging zero-day exploits to gain initial access.
To evade tracking, they utilize complex relay box networks and “live-off-the-land” techniques, employing legitimate system tools for malicious actions, which makes it harder for defenders to identify intrusions and share threat intelligence.
While not unique to China, these tactics pose a significant challenge for securing critical infrastructure across NATO countries.
State actors like Iran and Russia are hiding behind hacktivist groups to launch disruptive and destructive cyberattacks on NATO members, by targeting critical infrastructure and operational technology systems, potentially causing significant damage.
In addition to state-sponsored attacks, hacktivist resurgences and increasingly disruptive criminal activity pose further threats to NATO’s cybersecurity.
APT44, a Russian military intelligence-linked threat actor, has been launching disruptive cyberattacks globally, including the NotPetya attack and blackouts in Ukraine.
It recently deployed destructive ransomware against logistics companies in Poland and Ukraine, potentially signaling their capability to target NATO supply lines.
Critical infrastructure in NATO states is suffering from ransomware attacks, causing disruptions in healthcare, energy, and government services. Criminal actors, both financially motivated and state-backed, are exploiting lax enforcement environments to target these institutions.
Disinformation campaigns are another growing threat, with actors like Russia and Belarus using social media and network intrusions to manipulate public opinion and undermine NATO’s unity. Google actively combats these information operations by removing malicious content from its platforms.
These are linked to deceased businessman Prigozhin are still active, targeting social media to push pro-Russia narratives, particularly against NATO and its expansion. Ghostwriter, linked to Belarus, uses cyber means to spread anti-NATO messaging and disrupt regional governments.
COLDRIVER, a Russian espionage actor, steals credentials from NGOs and officials in NATO countries and Ukraine to leak information and influence political processes, which have shifted focus to target Ukraine and NATO supporters since the 2022 invasion.