Cyberattack alert system in works

U.S., Russia to adapt system used to avert nuclear war.

WASHINGTON — A secure communications channel set up to prevent misunderstandings that might risk nuclear war is likely to handle new kinds of conflict — in cyberspace.

The Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, established in 1988 under President Ronald Reagan so Washington and Moscow could alert each other to missile tests and space launches that could be mistaken as acts of aggression, would take a central role in an agreement nearing completion.

The deal could be final in several weeks, but most key elements already are settled, said U.S. officials familiar with the talks.

Use of the secure channel would be a milestone in the effort to ensure that misperceptions in cyberspace, where it is difficult to know who is behind a digital attack or even if a computer disruption was deliberately created, do not escalate to full hostilities, say U.S. officials and experts from both countries.

The talks reflect the increasing importance of cyber-activities as points of potential conflict. The Obama administration has warned with growing urgency in recent months that a cyberattack could undermine systems providing water, power or other critical services.

The agreement would be the first between the United States and another country to lessen the danger of conflict in cyberspace.

“Both the U.S. and Russia are committed to tackling common cybersecurity threats while at the same time reducing the chances a misunderstood incident could negatively affect our relationship,” White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said.

Russian Embassy spokesman Yevgeniy Khorishko said, “We feel that these confidencebuilding measures are important to preventing conflicts.”

An intelligence agency report last fall singled out Russia and China as aggressive perpetrators of cyber-espionage, and Russian gangs have been active for years in cybertheft of credit card information and other data. The agreement would not address those issues.