Original story

Internet Now 7.9.2008

UN threatens embargo on DSC outlaw nations

The UN Security Council today voted unanimously to support the work of the Data Security Commission headed by the EU and the United States. *

The DSC has persuaded the great majority of the world’s nations to sign the Global Data Security Treaty worked out last year at the ground-breaking Montreal Conference. The states that have not as yet ratified the agreement account for only around 10% of the world’s Internet connections. The GDS Treaty requires operators in all originating countries to maintain a temporary database of details of the senders of all Internet messages for a two-month period from the dispatch of the message. The pact opens the way to systematic cross-border control of computer crime. One condition for the success of the venture, however, is that messages are not routed via third-party countries that have not ratified the agreement.

E-mail secrecy in jeopardy for non-signatories

Given these risks, the Security Council resolved to recommend that the formerly inviolable right of message secrecy be removed from all correspondence that is sent to countries outside the GDS Treaty. At the same time, the Council ruled that all states be brought under the terms of the agreement by means of a unilateral declaration that will come into effect in three months’ time.

The Security Council also announced that countries unwilling to conform to the terms of the treaty would face sanctions. This declaration was supported by the EU, the United States, and by other signatory countries. Sanctions in this context will mean in effect that outlaw states and all their domains and data addresses will be placed on a ban-list, and all messages originating from these sites will be automatically deleted and destroyed without mercy.

Ban likely to hit export trade

Such draconian actions by the United Nations have become more or less essential, since in recent years datanet crime has succeeded in carving a niche for itself beyond the reach of international controls, and because the volume and gravity of the offences has now reached epidemic proportions. Above all, we have seen an increase in property crimes, data leaks, and blackmail through interference in services, and there has also been a disturbing increase in the interception and theft of netcash and commercial secrets, not to mention the trade in pornography, which has become increasingly sadistic and organized. Criminal organizations are effectively shielded under aliases, and exchange information with one another through “flag of convenience” countries outside of the GDS Treaty.

Network experts forecast that the upcoming embargoes will have a twofold effect. Most of the countries currently outside the treaty are already dependent on the datanets in such vital areas as foreign trade. Money is transferred in electronic form, and the same is true for contracts and invoicing. The abrupt slamming of the cyberdoor in this way would effectively wipe out international trade in these countries. The closing of all international connections might be expected to affect public opinion in countries where hitherto the Internet villains have been able to manipulate the networks to their own advantage.

Nevertheless, the most important result of the ban would be to deprive the criminal elements access to the networks, since the routing of all messages would be easily traceable and any operators showing reluctance to report wrongdoings would be spotted and punished immediately. Experts also foresee that the UN measures will greatly increase pressure on Internet operators’ data security as a whole, since frustrated criminal organizations will do their utmost to find weaknesses and gaps in network fences and firewalls, in order to be able to cover their tracks under the new system.

Toteuma-arvio 2026

Toteuma lyhyesti

  • Ilmiön toteuma: 4/5
  • Toteuma viiden vuoden tarkkuudella: kyllä; arviointi-ikkuna on 2003–2013
  • Toteuma väljemmällä aikahorisontilla: kyllä, ja kehitys on vahvistunut myöhemmin
  • Ilmiön ydin: rajat ylittävä tietoverkkorikollisuus synnyttää valtioiden sopimuksia, tunnistetietojen säilytysvelvoitteita ja painetta yhteistyöstä kieltäytyviä maita kohtaan.

Budapestin tietoverkkorikollisuussopimus, EU:n tietojen säilytyssääntely ja kansainvälinen kyberyhteistyö toteuttivat suuren osan ilmiöstä. YK:n yhtenäistä maailmanlaajuista valvontajärjestelmää tai kuvattua kauppasaartoa ei syntynyt.

Johtopäätös: ydin kansainvälisestä verkkovalvonnan ja rikostorjunnan sääntelystä toteutui, mutta hallintomalli jäi hajautuneeksi.