The integration of cyber intelligence into NATO's cybersecurity policies

This thesis analyzes the historical development of NATO's cybersecurity policies and focuses on the integration of these policies with cyber intelligence. In the first chapter, the fundamental concepts of cybersecurity, the historical background of the internet, and its operational principles are detailed; topics such as cyberspace, types of cyberattacks, cyber defense, cyber terrorism, and cyber espionage are comprehensively addressed. The second chapter examines the evolution of NATO's cybersecurity policies from the 2002 Prague Summit to the 2024 Washington Summit. Within the framework of NATO's strategic documents and summit decisions, the institutionalization of cyber defense and alliance-level efforts to develop collective cyber resilience are evaluated. The third chapter defines the theoretical framework of cyber intelligence; its relationship with different types of intelligence is explained, and its role within NATO's operational structure is assessed. The institutional structure and integration models are discussed specifically in the context of the NATO Cyberspace Operations Centre (CyOC). The main objective of the thesis is to emphasize the necessity of integrating cyber intelligence at an institutional level to enable NATO to develop a more effective defense strategy against digital threats. Keywords: NATO, Cybersecurity, Cyber Intelligence, Cyber Defense, Strategic Concept