Seeking to bolster transparency and to avoid unintended incidents in cyber space, the United States and Russia have agreed on several steps related to information and communications technology security, the White House said this week.
The agreement includes creating a working group, links between computer emergency readiness teams in both nations, and better lines of communication.
“Taken together, they represent important progress by our two nations to build confidence and strengthen our relations in cyberspace, expand our shared understanding of threats appearing to emanate from each other’s territory, and prevent unnecessary escalation of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) security incidents,” says a fact sheet released by the White House on Monday regarding the agreed to measures.
The steps to bolster cooperation include regularly sharing threat indicators between the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team and its Russian counterpart to help mitigate cyber threats.
“This kind of exchange helps expand the volume of technical cybersecurity information available to our countries, improving our ability to protect our critical networks,” the White House said.
Another measure agreed to is the creation of a new working group under the Bilateral Presidential Commission that will assess emerging ICT threats and propose steps to address them. The group will begin its activities within a month, the fact sheet says.
In the area of improved communications to allay misunderstandings about cyber events, the two countries will use the existing Nuclear Risk Reduction Center links to “quickly and reliably make inquiries of one another’s competent authorities to reduce the possibility of misperception and escalation from ICT security incidents,” the fact sheet says. The center was created in 1987 to exchange information to help reduce the risk of nuclear war between the United States and Russia.
A separate and direct line of communication will also be established between the U.S. Cybersecurity Coordinator in the White House and the Russian Deputy Secretary of the Security Council, part of the existing “hotline” between the two countries.
The White House says the new steps build on earlier measures agreed to with Russian in the area of ICT security. It says the U.S. and Russian militaries have shared unclassified ICT strategies and studies.