MUNA Information and Communication Technology (ICT): A term that includes all technologies

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1 Forum: Issue: Student Officer: MUNA 2015 General Assembly First Committee Developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security Mariam Tsagikian Introduction Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have reshaped the international security environment drastically. With more frequent usage of the Internet, as well as other forms of communication, the chances of cyber threats and privacy problems also increase. The Internet, especially, is a platform for the sharing of opinions and ideas. It has given power to the general public by allowing them a place where information is free, easily accessible and frequently updated. The Internet is a vast virtual space, thus controlling all of it is almost impossible. There is a great chance for illegal, unauthorized websites to start up and go unnoticed by law enforcers for a long time. As a result, ICTs can be used for purposes that are inconsistent with international peace and security, producing a major increase in risk in recent years as they are used for crime and other disruptive activities. Over the years, many governments have realized the urgency of this situation and have taken measures to ensure the public can use the Internet without worry. However, not only the Internet, but also other forms of communication such as cellular networks and telephone lines are subject to cyber threat. These are some common ways to exchange information, and hence need to be protected. It is of utmost importance to find ways to allow better connectivity within countries, especially LEDCs and improve transnational communication. The demand for faster Internet, greater bandwidth, online safety and better connectivity leads to added pressure on countries to ensure their facilities match the people'ʹs requirements. Due to the rate of growth in these areas, there is the growing risk of cyber threats, whether for an organization or an individual. Thus, it is also very important to find ways to ensure security of telecommunication links and to make the public feel safer using these. Definition of Key Terms Telecommunications: the exchange of information through electronic means over a particular distance. A standard telecommunication set- up is made of two or more stations equipped with transmitting and receiving devices. A transceiver (can transmit as well as receive data) is also used in some telecommunication stations. Information and Communication Technology (ICT): A term that includes all technologies

2 related to the manipulation and communication of information and data. Distributed Denial- of- Service Attacks (DDoS): A DDoS is a type of computer attack executed by third- party hackers that use a number of hosts to overwhelm a server, causing a website to completely crash. This type of denial- of- service attack usually targets large- scale, far- reaching and popular websites in an effort to disable them, either temporarily or permanently. Cyber Police: A group of officials who work to monitor data passed over the Internet and protect the public from cyber threats and attacks. Most countries have government authorized cyber police. General Overview Over the past 20 years, our use of telecommunication links, especially the Internet, has increased drastically and hence, this field has faced great developments. However, with such developments, there have been cases of security breach, privacy violation or copyright infringement. In the case of the Internet, file sharing has been a cause of great controversy in the recent years. ICTs are dual- use technologies and can be used for both legitimate and malicious purposes. Any ICT device can be the source or the target of misuse. The malicious use of ICTs can be easily concealed and attribution to a specific perpetrator can be difficult, allowing for increasingly sophisticated exploits by actors who often operate with impunity. The global connectivity of ICT networks only makes this a bigger problem. The combination of global connectivity, vulnerable technologies and anonymity facilitates the use of ICTs for disruptive activities. Threats to individuals, businesses, national infrastructure and Governments have grown more acute and incidents have become more damaging. The sources of these threats comprise both state and non- state actors. In addition, individuals, groups, or organizations, including criminal organizations, may act as proxies for states in the conduct of malicious ICT actions. The potential for the development and the spread of sophisticated malicious tools and techniques, such as bot- nets, by states or non- state actors may further increase the risk of mistaken attribution and unintended escalation. The absence of common understandings on acceptable state behaviour with regard to the use of ICTs increases the risk to international peace and security. Terrorist groups use ICTs to communicate, collect information, recruit, organize, plan and coordinate attacks, promote their ideas and actions and solicit funding. If such groups acquire attack tools, they could carry out disruptive ICT activities. States are concerned that embedding harmful hidden functions in ICTs could be used in ways that would affect secure and reliable ICT use and the ICT supply chain for products and services, erode trust in commerce and damage

3 national security. MUNA 2015 The expanding use of ICTs in critical infrastructures and industrial control systems creates new possibilities for disruption. The rapid increase in the use of mobile communications devices, web services, social networks and cloud computing services expands the challenges to security. Different levels of capacity for ICT security among different states can increase vulnerability in an interconnected world. Malicious actors exploit networks no matter where they are located. These vulnerabilities are amplified by disparities in national law, regulations and practices related to the use of ICTs. Several factors make the situation in cyberspace particularly difficult to control. States and non- state actors are carrying out increasingly sophisticated exploitations of vulnerabilities in ICT. Attribution to a specific perpetrator continues to be difficult, increasing the risk of false flag attacks that is, attacks by a state, group, or individual under an assumed identity. Global connectivity, vulnerable technologies, and anonymity facilitate the spread of disruptive cyber activities that may cause considerable collateral damage, for example, by spreading malware into computer networks or digital control systems that were not the primary target of the original attack. The experts group report highlights the specific risks from the widespread use of ICTs in critical infrastructure. Particularly, through so- called ICT- enabled industrial control systems such as those used in nuclear power plants and other critical infrastructure. Timeline of Events 4 January 1999 Draft Resolution by Russian Federation adopted without a vote December 2003 World Summit on the Information Society held in Geneva (first phase) 2004 First GGE meeting August March 2005 The Greece Watergate incident (Vodafone customers' cell phones wiretapped) November 2005 World Summit on the Information Society held in Tunis (second phase) 27 April 2007 Estonia experiences a series of cyber attacks, including the parliament 30 July 2010 First successful GGE report 9 January 2014 Resolution 68/243 unanimously adopted

4 Major Parties Involved Non-state actor (NSA): Non-state actors (NSA) are entities that participate or act in international relations. These are organizations with sufficient power to influence and cause a change even though they do not belong to any established institution of a state. The Group of Governmental Experts (GGE): Group(s) of specialists from the UN member states that meet(s) up to examine the existing and potential threats from the cyber-sphere and suggest possible cooperative measures to address them. Since 2004, there have been 3 such groups that have met. Previous Attempts to solve the issue This particular issue has been on the UN agenda since The previous attempts on solving the issue called for measures on confidence- building, stability and risk reduction, including exchanges of national views on the use of ICTs in conflict, information exchanges on national legislation, ICT security strategies, policies, technologies and best practices. The 2010 report stressed the importance of building capacity in states that may require assistance in addressing the security of their ICTs and suggested additional work to elaborate common terms and definitions. It is in the interest of all states to promote the use of ICTs for peaceful purposes. States also have an interest in preventing conflict arising from the use of ICTs. Common understandings on norms, rules and principles applicable to the use of ICTs by states and voluntary confidence- building measures can play an important role in advancing peace and security. Although the work of the international community to address this challenge to international peace and security is at an early stage, a number of measures concerning norms, rules and principles for responsible State behaviour can be identified for further consideration. Possible Solutions Member States have repeatedly affirmed the need for cooperative action against threats resulting from the malicious use of ICTs. Further progress in cooperation at the international level will require an array of actions to promote a peaceful, secure, open and cooperative ICT environment. Consideration should be given to cooperative measures that could enhance international peace, stability and security. These include common understandings on the application of relevant international law and derived norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviour of states. The United Nations should play a leading role in promoting dialogue among member states to develop common understandings on the security of and in the use of ICTs, encourage regional efforts, promote confidence- building and transparency measures and support capacity- building and the dissemination of best practices.

5 Useful documents 1. United Nations info on the issue Developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security 2. United Nations info on the First Committee of the General Assembly 3. Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunication in the Context of International Security: Work of the UN First Committee 4. United Nations Fact Sheet on the issue