Norway, NATO and cyber defense

NATO is the cornerstone of Norwegian security policy, and has in recent years intensified its efforts relating to the cyber domain. Cyber defense has gained increased attention in Norway as well, and the Norwegian Armed Forces have been tasked with contributing to NATO’s efforts in countering cyber attacks. This report explores the challenges and opportunities for Norway, as a small state in NATO, in dealing with the cyber domain. Perhaps the most important finding is that cyber related challenges do not necessarily need to be treated as something completely different from other challenges that are dealt with within the NATO framework. While the cyber domain in itself might be a domain sui generis, the challenges and opportunities for a small state are far from fundamentally different from other areas. Norway is, as a small state, completely dependent on its allies in NATO for collective defense in case of attack. It should therefore make efforts towards keeping NATO relevant, also in a postISAF environment, by integrating emerging challenges such as cyber defense into the alliance realm. The United States has voiced increased concern with the lack of burden sharing in the alliance, and one can imagine that Norway could gain increased influence in NATO by shouldering a larger share of the cyber defense burden than what is expected from a small state. Further, Norway should aim to build fruitful relationships with other allies, promoting shared interests such as collective defense and burden-sharing, also when considering cyber defense. It is also in Norway’s vested interest to be seen as a state which takes threats in the cyber domain seriously, and can provide secure and resilient systems. This should be promoted in NATO fora, and showcased in exercises and operations. Finally, the participation in cyber defense exercises and interoperability initiatives can benefit Norway both nationally and as an ally, as it will help enable effective and successful cooperation when deployed. In conclusion, the report arrives at the following recommendations for Norwegian policy on NATO and cyber defense: • Keep NATO relevant by integrating cyber defense in the work of the alliance • Share the burden through increased engagement in cyber defense • Be constructive and forge relationships to influence decision-making on cyber defense • Secure own systems and demonstrate resilience • Participate in exercises and interoperability initiatives on cyber defense