A/65/201 Foreword by the Secretary-General A decade ago we could not have foreseen how deeply information technologies and telecommunications would be integrated into our daily lives, or how much we would come to rely on them. These technologies have created a globally linked international community and, while this linkage brings immense benefits, it also brings vulnerability and risk. Considerable progress has been made in addressing the implications of the new technologies. But the task is arduous and we have only begun to develop the norms, laws and modes of cooperation needed for this new information environment. With that in mind, I appointed a group of governmental experts from 15 States to study existing and potential threats in this sphere, and to recommend ways to address them. I thank the Chair of the Group and the experts for their diligent and careful work, which has produced this report, a concise statement of the problem and of possible next steps. The General Assembly has an important role to play in the process of making information technology and telecommunications more secure, both nationally and internationally. Dialogue among Member States will be essential for developing common perspectives. Practical cooperation is also vital, to share best practices, exchange information and build capacity in developing countries, and to reduce the risk of misperception, which could hinder the international community’s ability to manage major incidents in cyberspace. This is a rich agenda for future work. The present report is meant to serve as an initial step towards building the international framework for security and stability that these new technologies require. I commend its analysis and recommendations to Member States and to a wide global audience. 4 10-46957