United States, Russia sign first cyber-security pact

The United States and Russia have signed a cyberspace communication pact to reduce the risk of conflict on issues including counterterrorism and weapons of mass destruction. President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin inked a deal on the sidelines of the G-8 summit in Northern Ireland, agreeing to use a nuclear "hotline" to communicate in realtime during a cyber-crisis.

"We affirm the importance of cooperation between the United States of America and the Russian Federation for the purpose of enhancing bilateral understanding in this area. We view this cooperation as essential to safeguarding the security of our countries," said US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a joint statement.

Under the new pact, the countries will use the U.S. Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, to warn each other of cyber- exercises that might be misperceived as attacks and as a channel to ask about cyber incidents that raise national security concerns and appear to be emanating from the other's territory.

"We recognize that threats to or in the use of [computer technologies] include political-military and criminal threats, as well as threats of a terrorist nature, and are some of the most serious national and international security challenges we face in the 21st century," the statement noted.

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