International Cyber Crime Fight Getting Serious

The biggest hurdle before the fight against international cyber crimes is the lack of coordination and collaboration among various nations and international organisations. There is no universally acceptable cyber crime treaty and India has yet to become a part of any international treaty or convention in this regard.

Although cyberspace is not a safe place for any person yet children are more vulnerable to the evils of cyber crimes. Protecting children in cyberspace is of utmost importance. Now the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) are expected to jointly work in this direction.

They have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would enable the two bodies to work together and to make available the necessary expertise and resources to establish legal measures and legislative frameworks at national level, for the benefit of all interested countries. It is the first time that two organisations within the UN system have formally agreed to cooperate at the global level on cyber crimes and cyber security.

This can also be seen as a coordinated global effort towards harmonisation of legal framework and fight against cyber crimes. We at Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) have been suggesting ICT Policies and Strategies in general and need for International Cyber Crime Treaty and International Cyber Security Treaty in particular.

It seems that nations across the world must concentrate upon a coordinated and focused approach towards cyber crimes and cyber security. The national approach alone cannot solve the growing dangers that are lurking at large in the cyberspace.

International Organisations And Cyber Crimes

Cyberspace has become an important aspect for Policy Formulation and International Commercial Transactions. Internet and E-Governance has become ubiquitous and indispensable these days. With this growth comes the darker side of technology as well.

Cyber Crimes and Cyber Attacks have increased significantly. International Organisations like United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), etc are involved with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in one form or other.

However, till now we do not have an Internationally Acceptable Cyber Crime Treaty. For instance, India is not a part of the European Union Convention on Cybercrime. Similarly, there are many countries that are not part of EU Cyber Crime Treaty.

United States has recently suggested that NATO must have an enhanced role in International Cyber Security. US is advocating an expansion of NATO’s “Threat to one is a threat to all” Treaty to Cyberspace as well. US has also formulated its International Strategy for Cyberspace.

Although the suggestion of US is worth considering yet NATO should not be the first platform where International Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security issues should be discussed. It is the United Nations that must be the platform where International issues of Cyber Law, Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security should be discussed.

We at Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) have been suggesting ICT Policies and Strategies in general and need for International Cyber Crime Treaty And International Cyber Security Treaty in particular. These are the issues whose time has come. Let us start the ball rolling.