TOKYO -- The countries were fictional, but the scenario was disturbingly realistic: In annual NATO drills in late April, the nation of "Crimsonia" launched thousands of cyberattacks on the vital infrastructure of "Berylia." And for the first time, Australia took a front-row seat as an official observer -- part of a new push by Asia-Pacific countries to fortify their defenses against state-backed hackers.
Japan and Australia became members of NATO's cyberdefense hub earlier this year. Singapore, meanwhile, is leading the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' drive to deepen cybersecurity ties with the U.K. and Commonwealth countries. It is no secret the potential adversaries are states like Russia, China and North Korea.
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