In an attempt to bolster their cyber defence from online attackers, intelligence agencies from the U.S and Britain will conduct planned cyber attacks on each other’s financial and other critical sectors. These intended cyber attacks will be conducted to test and measure their online defences. Countries all around the globe are attempting to take on the increased concerns over vulnerabilities of critical online infrastructure.
U.S President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron agreed upon this initiative on Friday. The joint effort has come amid concerns over the growing threat of online cyber attacks following the massive Sony hack last year.
Both countries will begin work on a series of large scale joint exercises to assess each other’s online infrastructure. The first attack is expected to take place later this year on the financial sector. Other online ‘war games’ exercises will include premeditated attacks on energy and transport sectors.
[quote text_size=”medium” author=”David Cameron”]
This is an evolving threat which poses a real risk to our businesses and that’s why we’re taking our cooperation with the U.S. to an unprecedented level, This is about pooling our effort so we stay one step ahead of those who seek to attack us
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Meanwhile, Britain’s MI5 along with their communication intelligence agency, known as GCHQ will work with their US counterparts in the NSA (National Security Agency) and FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) to further bolster the exchange of information.
In addition, the two governments will also invest in training next-gen cyber agents; to lay down norms and standards to ensure big multinationals are getting constant advice on how to protect their systems.
