UN Adopts India-Backed Data Security Resolutions

The United Nations has adopted two resolutions, proposed by Russia and backed by India, on International Information Security (IIS) system, marking progress towards creating the world’s first code of conduct in the digital sphere. This month the UN General Assembly adopted the two resolutions – ‘Developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security’ and ‘Countering the use of information and communications technologies for criminal purposes’ – and thereby opened a new chapter in the global discussion on international information security.

The two documents are designed to create the foundation for peaceful global interaction and to prevent war, confrontation and any other aggressive action. The resolutions were supported by several countries and coauthored by more than 30 countries, but did not get the support of the United States and the European Union members.

The first resolution, adopted on December 5, aims to protect the interests of all countries in the sphere of cyber security regardless of their level of technological development and includes a number of innovations, starting with a provisional list of 13 international rules, norms and principles of responsible behaviour of states in this sphere. The key aim of the second resolution, adopted on December 17, is to launch a broad transparent political discussion on combating information crime and to search for and create responses to one of today’s most pressing challenges. The resolution is aimed at promoting a global consensus and working out concrete and practical approaches to countering cyber crime in the absence of effective international legal instruments. The issue of IIS was first placed on the UN’s agenda in 1998 at Russia’s initiative. “It is notable that breakthrough decisions aimed at strengthening IIS have been adopted in the anniversary year of 2018. These decisions aim to protect the interests of all countries in the sphere of cyber security regardless of their level of technological development,” said a statement issued by the Russian foreign ministry.

The statement further said, “These are crucial provisions, such as the commitment to use information and communications technology (ICT) exclusively for peaceful purposes, to respect the sovereignty of states in the information space, to cooperate in the fight against the criminal or terrorist use of ICTs, and to prevent the proliferation of malicious ICT tools and techniques and the use of harmful hidden functions.”

Source: ET

Image Courtesy: Reuters