Cybersecurity-making online lives safer and more secure for all
ITU provides its members – particularly developing countries – increased cybersecurity capabilities at the national level, helping build confidence and trust and making the digital realm safer and more secure for everyone. ITU provides specific guidance for members – ITU Cybercrime Legislation Resources – on legislating against the misuse of ICTs for criminal purposes – legislation aligned with regional and international practices.
Organized around the five pillars of the Global Cybersecurity Agenda (GCA), this report shows the complementary nature of existing ITU work programs, including BDT, TSB, and BR activities in this domain.
Legal Measures
As part of ITU-D Priority 5 of the Kigali Action Plan, and taking into account ITU-D Q 3/2, ITU is assisting Member States in understanding the legal aspects of cybersecurity through its ITU Cybercrime Legislation Resources. ITU collaborates closely with partners such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Technical and Procedural Measures
ITU-T Study Group 17 (SG-17)held two meetings in August/September 2022 and February/March 2023, established 32 new standardization work items and approved 18 new or revised Recommendations on ICT security. ITU-T SGs 5, 11, 13, 16, and 20 also approved recommendations on ICT security (see catalogue of ITU-T Recommendations) across a wide range of issues from electromagnetic security, signaling procedures and protocols, cloud computing, quantum key distribution networks, JPEG 2000 and oneM2M Security Solutions.
Several ITU-T focus groups, referenced on this page, also explore the trust aspect of various emerging technologies as part of their work.
ITU-R has established clear security principles for IMT (3G, 4G, and 5G) networks. It has also issued Recommendations on security issues in network management architecture for digital satellite systems and performance enhancements of transmission control protocol over satellite networks (see here). Information on Futuristic mobile technologies – “IMT for 2020 and beyond” can be found here.
Organizational Structures
Since 2012, ITU has collaborated with Member States, partners, and global organizations to strengthen cybersecurity by creating national and regional Computer Incident Response Teams (CIRTs). Additionally, ITU conducts CIRT Maturity Assessments to enhance CIRT capabilities further. So far, ITU has assisted 84 countries by evaluating their cybersecurity readiness, leading to the establishment or improvement of National CIRTs. ITU has implemented 21 CIRT-related projects and is currently working on three more.
ITU actively collaborates with the FIRST community to enhance the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) Service Framework and revise training materials for capacity-building in managing national CIRT operations.
As of May 2023, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has organized over 40 international, regional, or national Cyber drills, with more than 120 countries involved across all six ITU regions. Additionally, a Global CyberDrill is scheduled for the end of 2023. For more details on other areas such as Capacity building, International cooperation, and the Child Online Protection program, you can find information in document C23/38.
Conclusion
The ITU Annual Report 2022-2023 underscores the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures in an increasingly interconnected world. Significant advancements in digital technology and an accompanying rise in cyber threats have emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive cybersecurity strategies during this period. The report reveals that while many nations are making strides in enhancing their cybersecurity frameworks, there is still considerable disparity in capabilities and preparedness globally.