Fergie's Tech Blog

ITU Calls for Global Cyber Security Measures

Via The H Security.

The International Telecommunication Union ITU has published its proposals for harmonising global cybersecurity legislation on the periphery of a conference on the information society in Geneva. At a discussion session, ITU General Secretary Hamadoun Touré stated that the document, advertised as a "Cybersecurity Toolkit" is "no Bible and no Koran", instead offering a list of best practices from existing legislation.

Drafting of the document was entrusted to an expert group commissioned by the ITU and led by the American Bar Association's Privacy and Computer Crime Committee (PACC). In Geneva, PACC boss Jody Westby emphasised that legislation from many different countries was considered in producing the document, which is intended as a model for national legislation. In addition to the Council of Europe's 'Convention on Cybercrime', their search for model regulations also took in legislation from Australia, Canada, China and many other countries.

Certain stipulations, such as requirements on intellectual property, mean that the Council of Europe's convention is not suitable as a universal model, explained a representative from Brazil, which recently decided against acceding to the convention. Westby made clear that she does not care a jot whether or not countries sign the Convention on Cybercrime and that the aim of the ITU toolkit is the harmonisation of legislation targeted at cyber-criminality and not support for a single instrument. Touré admitted that a binding agreement on cyber-security under international law had encountered some resistance from member states. Rather than produce such an instrument, the ITU had instead chosen to put forward a toolkit of sample legislation.

posted by Fergie @ 5/24/2009 08:27:00 AM