NATO’s mission is to protect the freedom of its members. NATO has innovated and adapted itself to ensure its policies, capabilities and structures meet current and future threats, including the collective defence of its members. In July 2016, Allies reaffirmed NATO’s defensive mandate and recognised cyberspace as a domain of operations in which NATO must defend itself as effectively as it does in the air, on land and at sea. Cyber security is also a critical component of its operations, enabling intelligence to be safeguarded and operational communications to be secure and confidential.