Possible gaps in dealing with cybersecurity
The mechanisms analysed appear to indicate the existence of policy gap in coordination of
various cybersecurity initiatives and policy processes. It starts with lack of widely acceptable
definition and terminology. The review also shows that there are not many mechanisms for
addressing cybersecurity issues in an intersectoral way by involving different professional
groups, including: the telecom sector, diplomatic communities, security communities,
corporate sector associations, hacker communities (e.g. ‘white hats’), and civil society.
3.2 Cybercrime
Cybercrime is part of a broader cybersecurity approach aimed at ensuring Internet safety and
security. Cybercrime encompasses ‘harmful acts committed from or against a computer or a
network’. It includes existing criminal offences conducted online (e.g. various frauds), crimes
that take new forms due to the Internet (e.g. child abuse online), and new crimes that have
emerged with the Internet (e.g. unauthorised access, damage to computer data, pay-per-click
frauds).
These three aspects of cybercrime exist in various definitions of cybercrime. However, there
is no internationally accepted definition of cybercrime.
International cooperation in fighting cybercrime is vital for two reasons: (i) offenders are
often in other jurisdictions, exploiting transborder aspects of the Internet; (ii) effective
responses to cybercrime require fast action (e.g. preserving evidence, investigation).
Figure 3: Geographic coverage of the international and regional cybercrime instruments (Source: UNODC
Comprehensive Study on Cybercrime – 2013)
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