The stability of modern society has been heightened by the ubiquitous nature of ICTs such as Internet and Broadband networks, which pervades all aspects of human activity on a global basis. The benefits of ICTs, however, can be undercut by negative uses of these technologies in the form of cyberattacks, cybercrime and cyberwarfare, affecting not only individual or national systems, but can also impacting world peace and security and undermining development efforts. The problems posed by cyberthreats are of a universal and transnational character and touch upon all facets of the existence of states, society, business, and individuals.
A fundamental role of ITU, following the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the 2010 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, is to build confidence and security in the use of ICTs.
ITU Secretary-General provides regular briefings to other Heads of UN Agency, Funds and Programme on Cyberthreats and is leading together with UNODC an inter-agency group on Cybersecurity and Cybercrime.
ITU is also the lead agency on information and system security within the UN ICT network.
