Cybersecurity at UNGA78: Leaders addressed the evolving threat landscape

The world of global security is in a constant state of flux, with new challenges and opportunities emerging in the digital age. As leaders from nations around the globe convened for UNGA78, the evolving threat landscape took centre stage in their discussions at the General Debate of the UNGA 78.

From the complex web of non-traditional security threats, such as cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns, to the transformative potential of digital technology, the dialogue underscored the urgency of addressing the shifting paradigms that are reshaping peace and security on a global scale.

• Complexity of non-traditional security threats such as threats to cybersecurity (Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Vietnam)
• Recognising the threats posed to peace and security in the digital space (Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President of Mongolia; Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica)
• Spread of the war into cyberspace (Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine)
• Use of AI by malicious actors in launching cyberattacks, particularly in critical sectors such as healthcare and humanitarian operations (Albert II, Prince of Monaco)
• Concern for new forms of warfare, including cyber and space-based warfare (Enrique Austria Manalo, Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines)
• Use of disinformation campaigns, economic manipulation, political interference, and various tools aimed at disrupting democratic processes, undermining institutions, and weakening security (Petr Pavel, President of Czech Republic)
• Terrorist threats are taking new shapes due to the misuse of ICT (Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh)
• Need for a collective approach to addressing security issues, underscoring the Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda (Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait)

Cybercrime: A cross-border challenge

• Need to deal with the cross-border challenges of cybercrime (Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius)
• Focus on the fight against cybercrime (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil)
• Growing risks such as deepfakes, privacy violations, hacking, phishing, identity theft, educational disruption via plagiarism, and human deception tactics (Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar)
• Vulnerabilities of the African cyberspace from cyber criminals (Robert Dussey, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Togo)

International partnerships needed to tackle cyber threats

• Need for cross-border cooperation in dealing with cybersecurity and cybercrime threats (Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President of Mongolia; Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Prime Minister of Spain; Mohammad Najib Azmi Mikati, President of the Council of Ministers of Lebanon; José Ulisses Correia e Silva, Prime Minister of Cabo Verde)
• Need for new governance framework to combat cybercrime and bolster cybersecurity (Arnoldo Ricardo André Tinoco, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica)
• Protection of cyberspace to safeguard the sovereignty and prevent destabilisation of societies (Yvan Gil Pinto, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Venezuela)
• Cyber threats and online extremism should be addressed through collaborative efforts involving governments, civil society, and industry, exemplified by initiatives like the Christchurch Call to Action (Nanaia Mahuta, Minister for Foreign Affairs of New Zealand)
• Use experience from the UN Open-Ended Working Group on ICT Security to deal with other cybersecurity threats (Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore)
• Support for the work of the UN to combat cybercrime, including the work of the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime. (Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President of Mongolia)