AWS becomes first hyperscaler to secure 'NATO Restricted' approval as alliance members target ‘resilient and agile’ infrastructure

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has been approved for use by NATO member nations when handling information under the 'NATO Restricted' (NR) designation.

The move means AWS is the first hyperscaler to have its cloud capabilities approved for mission-critical data at this level.

It will allow NATO members and industry partners to handle NR workloads in any AWS Region located in a member nation, according to the firm. AWS currently has 15 Regions in member states, with seven of these located in mainland Europe.

David Appel, acting vice president of worldwide public sector at AWS, said the first of its kind move is the “culmination of a sustained, multi-year effort” between the firm and defense partners.

“It reflects our commitment to helping defense, public sector, and NATO-affiliated customers and partners achieve their critical missions,” he said in a statement.

“We believe governments, and the citizens they serve, deserve access to the same infrastructure and services driving innovation in the private sector. We will continue working to provide the interoperability allied nations need to strengthen their resilience and protect their citizens.”

NATO eyes 'resilient and agile' services

As part of the move, AWS said it will provide “streamlined access” to cloud computing capabilities for NATO member states.

As its approval applies to the whole alliance, NATO members and defense partners will gain access to a “common, pre-assisted security baseline” designed to simplify security and compliance obligations.

National security and defense customers can also access the AWS Trusted Secure Enclave – Sensitive Edition, the company revealed.

Elsewhere, NATO allies will be given an “accelerated path” to AWS accreditation through their respective national processes.

Dylan Browne, general manager for the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), said the move will help build a more “resilient and agile” alliance through commercial technology.

“The availability of commercial products that meet NATO’s security requirements expands the technology options available for the Alliance and supports our ability to adopt modern technologies while maintaining the security and resilience on which our operations depend,” he said.

How AWS gained NATO approval

According to AWS, securing NR approval required the hyperscaler to document its compliance against D32. This is a technical directive that outlines the security requirements for handling restricted information in the public cloud.

To achieve NR accreditation, NATO delegates these processes to a member nation or the NCIA. In this instance, approved Spanish authorities conducted the assessment.

“As part of this process, AWS capabilities were evaluated by Spain's National Cryptographic Centre (CCN), and NATO approved and published them to all NATO Allies,” the company said in a statement.

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