PRIORITY ACTION 4 Use New Zealand’s international connections to combat cybercrime International engagement is essential for cyber security. As a result, the principle of partnership applies equally internationally as it does domestically. New Zealand is not isolated in cyberspace, which creates challenges for law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting cybercriminals. The fundamentally global nature of the problem requires a coordinated international response. This will be successful when law enforcement in New Zealand can more effectively prevent crime and respond swiftly to cybercrime threats emanating outside our jurisdiction. CLOSER COOPERATION ON CYBERCRIME Differences in national laws and enforcement regimes can create barriers to effective international cooperation. New Zealand is committed to working with partners to reduce those barriers. Law enforcement agencies work closely with counterparts through INTERPOL and in Australia (particularly through the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency), Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. New Zealand is also a member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, the Global Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Online, the ASEAN Regional Forum and the London Action Plan on spam. Consider progressing New Zealand’s accession to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (also known as the Budapest Convention). The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime is the first international treaty seeking to address cybercrime by promoting harmonised legal frameworks, improving investigative techniques and increasing cross-border cooperation. It was developed by the Council of Europe but a wide range of states have since acceded to the Convention, including our closest partners. As at May 2015, 45 states parties have ratified the Convention. To accede will require a National Interest Analysis to test the benefits for New Zealand, including testing the domestic policy implications. Continue to promote governance of cyberspace and norms of state behaviour online that reflect New Zealand’s vision and interests. There is not yet a clear consensus about appropriate behaviour for states in an online environment. As set out in the Strategy’s International Cooperation goal, New Zealand will continue to participate in the development of international consensus about appropriate state of behaviour and the development of confidence-building measures, including on cybercrime. Strengthen New Zealand’s relationships with international bodies focused on addressing cybercrime. There are opportunities for New Zealand to contribute to and benefit from relationships with other law enforcement groups (such as Europol, NGOs, and specialist bodies sponsored by the private sector such as Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit). International cooperation currently relies largely on personal and informal relationships. New Zealand must find ways to ensure these ongoing cooperative relationships are maintained and embedded. For example, New Zealand Police currently has a secondee at the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation – a cutting edge research and development facility, based in Singapore. Networks of international cooperation will be built to support operational activity, through joint investigations, joint operations, intelligence sharing, growing expertise and developing models of best practice. 14 National Plan to Address Cybercrime 2015