A/74/120 exchanges. In addition, tools and systems used in performing e-transactions may be compromised, stolen or damaged, which poses a serious threat to the interests of users and the future of e-services. Extensive and widespread attacks may affect the national financial sector. Data of public institutions and companies may also be stolen, resulting in considerable material and credibility losses, damage to reputations, customer attrition and reduction in the value of intangible assets, which may harm the national economy at large. Key aspects of the seriousness of emerging cyberthreats Emerging cyberthreats may be very serious due to three main aspects: 1. They often deploy advanced and sophisticated technologies; highly developed countries and large companies often have a monopoly on these technologies. Many of these technologies are top secret and not available for export . Furthermore, the exportable versions of some technologies may contain backdoors or vulnerabilities that make them a source of additional threats. 2. They can spread easily, and rapidly spreading malicious viruses and launching Distributed Denial of Service attacks and other advanced cyberattacks can occur very quickly and easily, due to the widespread use of ICTs and because of the ease of launching these attacks remotely and transmitting viruses across borders fro m anywhere and at a low cost. It is also difficult and often impossible to trace the main origin of those threats and risks in time to address and overco me them. 3. They can have a widespread impact; cyberattacks may have an extensive direct and indirect impact on the infrastructure, causing substantial damage and losses. In addition, they may be executed remotely and expand suddenly in an unpredictable manner, while potentially affecting critical entities and large numbers of citizens (thousands or millions). The way forward: towards facing the cyberchallenges Cyberattacks and cybercrimes may transcend the geographical boundaries of countries and usually rely on both traditional and technical organized crime networks. Confronting such attacks and crimes must therefore include the traditional mechanisms of international cooperation to combat crimes and face cyberthreats, as well as legislative and regulatory frameworks with special mechanisms to handle the emerging technical developments. Effective response to cyberattacks and cybercrimes necessitates cooperation and coordination at the national level, among partners providing and operating infrastructure at critical sectors and partners providing services, including government agencies, institutions and companies. Additionally, international and regional cooperation and coordination are highly essential and need to include key international organizations, regional gatherings and professional and specialized international forums. Egypt’s contributions Egypt realizes the importance of international cooperation in addressing cybersecurity challenges. Egyptian experts have contributed to a number of relevant governmental groups of experts mandated by the General Assembly to reach agreed recommendations on cybersecurity from the international security perspective. Furthermore, as a member of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Egypt was part of the ITU’s High-Level Experts Group on Cybersecurity and took part in its Global Cybersecurity Agenda activities. In addition, Egypt proposed the establishment of ITU’s Council Working Group on Child Online Protection and chaired the Group from 2010 until 2017. Egypt also participates and hosts regional cyberdrills and cybersecurity conferences and workshops that are organized by 14/39 19-10580