United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime

United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime Latest News

Recently, the Union External Affairs Minister signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, aimed at strengthening global efforts to prevent and combat cybercrime.

About United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime

• It is the first comprehensive, legally binding global treaty adopted by consensus by 193 UN member states.
• It was adopted by member states of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2024 to strengthen global cooperation in combating cybercrime.
• It is the first universal legally binding instrument to strengthen collective defences against cybercrime. 
• Purpose: To promote international cooperation, strengthen measures to prevent and combat cybercrime, and support capacity-building, particularly for developing countries.
• It entered into force last year after securing the required threshold of 40 member-state signatures. By the end of 2025, 93 countries had signed the convention.
• India has signed this treaty.
• The convention was developed by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

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Key Provisions of United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime

• It sets legal standards for addressing offenses such as illegal access, cyber fraud, and online child exploitation, while ensuring human rights and data privacy.
• It provides States with a range of measures to be undertaken to prevent and combat cybercrime.
• It facilitates the sharing of electronic evidence across borders and establishes a 24/7 cooperation network among States.
• It recognises the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images as an offence.
• It covers crimes such as hacking, ransomware, online financial fraud, illegal interception, money laundering,
• It applies not only to cyber offences but also to the collection and sharing of electronic evidence in serious crimes.

Source: DD News