A/68/98 I. Introduction 1. The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has reshaped the international security environment. These technologies bring immense economic and social benefits; they can also be used for purposes that are inconsistent with international peace and security. There has been a noticeable increase in risk in recent years as ICTs are used for crime and the conduct of disruptive activities. 2. International cooperation is essential to reduce risk and enhance security. For this reason, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General, with the assistance of a group of governmental experts, to continue to study possible cooperative measures to address existing and potential threats (resolution 66/24), and submit a report to the sixty-eighth session of the Assembly. The present report builds upon the 2010 report (A/65/201) from the previous Group of Governmental Experts, which examined this topic and made recommendations for future work. 3. The 2010 report recommended further dialogue among States on norms pertaining to State use of ICTs to reduce collective risk and protect critical national and international infrastructure. It 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. 4. Numerous bilateral, regional and multilateral initiatives since 2010 highlight the growing importance accorded to greater security of and in the use of ICTs, reducing risks to public safety, improving the security of nations and enhancing global stability. 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. Threats, risks and vulnerabilities 5. 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 exacerbates this problem. The combination of global connectivity, vulnerable technologies and anonymity facilitates the use of ICTs for disruptive activities. 6. Threats to individuals, businesses, national infrastructure and Governments have grown more acute and incidents 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 6 13-37166