Statement by the North Atlantic Council concerning the malicious cyber activities against Albania

1.      We stand in solidarity with Albania following the recent cyber attack on its national information infrastructure. Allies acknowledge the statements by Albania and other Allies attributing the responsibility for the cyber attack to the Government of Iran. We strongly condemn such malicious cyber activities designed to destabilise and harm the security of an Ally, and disrupt the daily lives of citizens. NATO and Allies support Albania in strengthening its cyber defence capabilities to withstand and repel such malicious cyber activities in the future.

2.      Malign actors seek to degrade our critical infrastructure, interfere with our government services, extract intelligence, steal intellectual property and impede our military activities. Allies are committed to protecting their critical infrastructure, building resilience and bolstering their cyber defences. We will continue raising our guard against such malicious cyber activities in the future, and support each other to deter, defend against and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats, including by considering possible collective responses.

3.      We promote a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace. We pursue efforts to enhance stability and reduce the risks of conflict by promoting respect for international law, and the voluntary norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, as recognised by all members of the United Nations. We call on all States to respect their international commitments to upholding a norms-based approach to cyberspace.