Latest news with #ConventiononCybercrime
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Cyberwarfare and the call to reform international law
Recently, The Guardian published a Long Read by Linda Kinstler that asked a striking question: Are we witnessing the death of international law? Her article traced the faltering state of the global rules-based order, pointing to Ukraine's efforts to hold Russia accountable through international legal forums, and the apparent inertia those mechanisms have demonstrated. However, the deeper implication was not just institutional weakness, but the growing irrelevance of international law in an age of strategic disinformation, lawfare, and fragmented geopolitical alignments. Cyberwarfare(Shutterstock) For India, this is no longer a distant concern. The cyber standoff with Pakistan in May 2025, dubbed Operation Sindoor, brought this crisis into sharp focus. While traditional news outlets highlighted border escalations, a parallel confrontation was unfolding in the digital realm. India has faced several cyberattacks, directed at both government and civilian digital infrastructure. Strategic assets, public health systems, and electoral databases were probed. Social media platforms were flooded with manipulated narratives aimed at inflaming tensions and sowing distrust. Even today, security agencies continue to intercept persistent intrusion attempts targeting critical infrastructure, underscoring that the threat remains ongoing and will likely only gain public attention when it triggers tangible national or regional consequences. Unlike traditional warfare, cyber conflict erases clear lines between soldiers and civilians, states and non-state actors, peace and war. During Operation Sindoor, the attacks on India were traced through multiple jurisdictions—including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Malaysia, and North Korea—using anonymised protocols and decentralised networks. Pinpointing culprits was difficult, and legal remedies nearly impossible. Even when groups like APT-36, a Pakistan-linked cyber unit, were identified, international legal action remained practically out of reach. International law, built largely around State sovereignty, territorial integrity, and post-World War II notions of armed conflict, struggles to contain or even define the nature of 21st century threats. India, like many other nations, finds itself hemmed in by this outdated architecture. The Convention on Cybercrime, also known as the Budapest Convention, remains one of the few multilateral treaties addressing cyber-related offences. However, it suffers from limited global consensus. India has refrained from signing, citing concerns over sovereignty and unilateral jurisdiction. In moments like Operation Sindoor, such hesitations were justified, yet the absence of any other binding framework left India without real-time legal tools or forums for redress. This vacuum is not confined to cyberspace. Global inaction on climate finance, inequities in trade arbitration, and selective enforcement by the International Criminal Court (ICC) have all contributed to declining faith in the existing order. What India confronted during Operation Sindoor is emblematic of a wider trend: When the rules no longer serve the many, they lose their legitimacy. Yet, this moment of crisis offers India an opening. As an emerging power with a strong legal tradition and rising global influence, India must assert a leadership role in reimagining international law. This is not only about defending our sovereignty but about co-authoring a fairer, future-ready legal framework. India should take the initiative to convene a new global dialogue on cyber norms and accountability. Much like the Geneva Conventions once codified the laws of war, there is now an urgent need for a binding international treaty on cyber conduct. Such a framework must establish norms against state-sponsored cyber sabotage, political disinformation campaigns, and AI-driven warfare. It must also build in mechanisms for attribution, redress, and sanctions that do not depend on the political will of a few dominant actors. At home, the legal system must evolve to meet these transnational threats while safeguarding democratic freedoms. Legislation aimed at tackling misinformation, such as Karnataka's proposed Misinformation Bill, should undergo rigorous scrutiny to ensure they do not encroach on dissent or freedom of expression. Regulatory frameworks should be transparent, proportionate, and equipped with judicial oversight. Equally, India's cyber infrastructure must be strengthened. Bodies such as CERT-In and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) should be empowered not only to detect and respond to domestic threats but also to collaborate meaningfully with international partners. Public education campaigns, technology-industry partnerships, and clear data governance policies will be critical. The question is not whether international law is dying, but whether it can be reborn. The alternative is a drift towards a global order ruled by power rather than principle. India, with its democratic credentials and growing geopolitical influence, is uniquely positioned to steer the world toward legal frameworks that reflect 21st century realities. As global institutions, from multilateral forums to international regulatory bodies, struggle to keep pace with emerging threats like cyberwarfare and lawfare, a vacuum in credible legal leadership is becoming increasingly visible. In this moment of flux, reclaiming leadership in global legal reform is not just an imperative. It is an opportunity to shape the norms and rules that will define our collective future. This article is authored by Hriday Sarma, senior fellow, South Asia Democratic Forum, Brussels.
Malaysiakini
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
M'sia to sign UN cybercrime convention in October
PARLIAMENT | Malaysia is in the process of joining the Budapest Convention and will also sign the United Nations (UN) Convention on Cybercrime to reinforce international collaboration strategies in combating cybercrime, the Dewan Rakyat was told today. Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that through this convention, the country will be able to strengthen cooperation in investigations, the exchange of digital evidence, extradition of cybercriminals, as well as information and intelligence sharing with international police agencies such as Interpol and the United States' FBI.
The Sun
23-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Malaysia to sign UN cybercrime convention in October 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is in the process of joining the Budapest Convention and will also sign the United Nations (UN) Convention on Cybercrime to reinforce international collaboration strategies in combating cybercrime, the Dewan Rakyat was told today. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that through this convention, the country will be able to strengthen cooperation in investigations, the exchange of digital evidence, extradition of cybercriminals, as well as information and intelligence sharing with international police agencies such as Interpol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 'Assuming there are no problems, we will sign (the UN convention) in October in Vietnam,' he said during Question Time. Saifuddin said this in reply to Chong Zhemin (PH-Kampar), who wanted to know the number of cybercrime cases reported throughout 2024 and the ministry's efforts to enhance digital security for the public. - Bernama -- More to follow
Barnama
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Malaysia To Sign Un Convention On Cybercrime This October
KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is in the process of joining the Budapest Convention and will also sign the United Nations (UN) Convention on Cybercrime to reinforce international collaboration strategies in combating cybercrime, the Dewan Rakyat was told today. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that through this convention, the country will be able to strengthen cooperation in investigations, the exchange of digital evidence, extradition of cybercriminals, as well as information and intelligence sharing with international police agencies such as Interpol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 'Assuming there are no problems, we will sign (the UN convention) in October in Vietnam,' he said during Question Time.
