Cyber Warfare
Recent media reports suggest that there has been an increase in Cyber warfare or electronic assaults from hostile governments as well as drug lords. The reality is that many developing nations are vulnerable and cannot protect themselves and their infrastructures such as stock markets, communication and transport systems against such attacks.
Furthermore, with all these growing threats there is a need for nations to come together and sign a legally binding digital asset treaty. A treaty such as this would make it an offence for a hostile government to use cyber attacks or electronic espionage against another country. In November 2001 UK, the European Union States, Canada, Japan and the United States signed what is known as the Council of Europe Agreement on digital crime activities. The significance outcome of this agreement is cross border investigation of cybercrime between these nations. This makes it easier for law enforcement agencies of these nations to cooperate on extradition requests for offenses against one country committed from within another country. In addition, these countries went further to adopt common ground on criminal laws such as hacking, forgery, digital related fraud, unauthorised access to computer systems, infringements of copyright and child pornography.
The agreement stopped short of including developing countries such as the G20, however the UN should take a lead in enacting a digital asset treaty that will cover offenses such as fraud, unauthorised computer access, child pornography, data privacy and copyright. Although, computer crime is truly international, differing Acts in different jurisdictions inhibits prosecution of international digital crime.
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