Rapid response to cyber-attacks is one of the main interests of European Defence. Today cyberspace is one of the battlefields in contemporary warfare along with ground, sea, and air space. Strengthening cyber security and defence capabilities requires the same efforts as strengthening land, sea, and air capabilities.
Before Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine, the aggressor first sought to paralyze Ukraine's defence sector and other institutions through cyber-attacks. On February 22 the EU Cyber Rapid Response Teams (CRRT) Council confirmed that cyber rapid response capabilities will be activated in support of Ukraine.
CYBER4DE aims to enhance processes and practices of CRRTs for a faster uptake of the new tools and increased effectiveness in the operating domain.
The Lithuania-led force has been operating since 2019. It is on permanent standby and is ready to deploy as soon as the request for assistance is approved by the CRRT Council. Among other tasks, the team of cyber security experts from Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, Croatia, and Estonia can be used in a major cyber crisis or to beef up the defence of EU institutions.