A Cold-War era nuclear communication hotline may soon be used to channel messages between the United States and Russia on cyber security, "The Washington Post" reports.
The hot-line's official name is the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, which was set up in 1988 under U.S. President Ronald Reagan to allow Washington and Moscow to inform each other of missile tests or rocket launches that could be mistaken as hostile acts.
The "Post," citing unnamed U.S. officials, said an agreement expanding the use of the hotline to ensure that misperceptions in cyberspace do not escalate could be signed within several weeks.
According to the newspaper, the agreement would be the first between the United States and another country seeking to lessen the danger of cyber conflict.
A 2011 U.S. intelligence agency report said Russia and China were top perpetrators of cyber-espionage against economic targets.
The hot-line's official name is the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, which was set up in 1988 under U.S. President Ronald Reagan to allow Washington and Moscow to inform each other of missile tests or rocket launches that could be mistaken as hostile acts.
The "Post," citing unnamed U.S. officials, said an agreement expanding the use of the hotline to ensure that misperceptions in cyberspace do not escalate could be signed within several weeks.
According to the newspaper, the agreement would be the first between the United States and another country seeking to lessen the danger of cyber conflict.
A 2011 U.S. intelligence agency report said Russia and China were top perpetrators of cyber-espionage against economic targets.
