UN Cybercrime Convention to be signed in Hanoi to tackle global offences

The UN Cybercrime Convention is set to be signed in Hanoi, with around 60 countries taking part over the weekend to tackle global offences, according to The Business Times. The convention will take effect after ratification by 40 nations, and while it aims to streamline international cooperation against cybercrime, activists and tech companies have criticised potential human rights abuses and warned that its vague definition of crime could enable abuse.

The Cybersecurity Tech Accord, which includes Meta and Microsoft, has dubbed the pact a “surveillance treaty”, saying it may facilitate data sharing among governments and criminalise ethical hackers who test systems for vulnerabilities.

According to the United Nations, the Convention on Cybercrime, officially called the Convention on Cybercrime: Strengthening International Cooperation to Combat Crimes Committed Through ICT Systems, is the first international criminal justice treaty to have been negotiated in over 20 years. Under the new convention, responses to cybercrime are expected to be quicker, better coordinated and more effective, with a global framework prioritising inclusivity and capacity-building for countries with limited resources.