The Five Eyes gained worldwide attention and notoriety in the wake of the Snowden revelations. The Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance comprised of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The agencies of the five countries share intelligence and cooperate in the global War on Terror.
Now, according to a joint statement posted on the U.S. State Department website, the Five Eyes have joined forces to help advance “responsible state behavior in cyberspace.” The Five Eyes are joined by 22 other countries in the joint statement.
It’s widely believed this new effort targets threats from China, including state-sponsored cyber espionage, online disinformation campaigns and intellectual property theft. Although China is not specifically named, much of the language used in the joint statement references behaviors and actions that China has long been accused of.
The statement wraps up with the promise that “as responsible states that uphold the international rules-based order, we recognize our role in safeguarding the benefits of a free, open, and secure cyberspace for future generations. When necessary, we will work together on a voluntary basis to hold states accountable when they act contrary to this framework, including by taking measures that are transparent and consistent with international law. There must be consequences for bad behavior in cyberspace.”