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Cybersecurity Workshop

Welcome to the cybersecurity workshop on "Global Cybersecurity Challenges - Collaborating for effective enhancement of cybersecurity in developing countries". This workshop, organized jointly by the the ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) and Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), took place at ITU Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday, 8 September from 14:30-17:30 in conjunction with the ITU-T Study Group 17 and ITU-D Study Group 2 meetings, and preceeded the ITU-D Study Group 2 Question 3/2 (Securing information and communication networks: Best practices for developing a culture of cybersecurity) meeting.

The purpose of the cybersecurity workshop was to share best practices on international, regional and national level approaches for enhancing cybersecurity capacity building. The workshop aimed to share the concerns of developing countries relating to building cybersecurity capacity and look to identify innovative and practical ways in which international organizations, administrations, and the private sector can co-operate to address those concerns.

Session 1: Best practices for a multi-layered strategic approach to effective cybersecurity enhancement in developing countries

This session debates and shares information on best practices for a multi-layered strategic approach to effective cybersecurity enhancement in developing countries.

Data breaches are reported to be on the rise globally. Increasingly, with wearable technology, Internet of Things and embedded Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) everywhere, cyber incidents will have greater effects in the physical world. It is no longer just about money and data – however important these are –, now it is also about lives. Cybersecurity is an essential component of human activity. Its high level of complexity requires action at different levels (both virtual and physical) and by different actors (governments, private sector, civil society, intergovernmental organizations, etc.).

What are the key success factors to developing and implementing a national cybersecurity strategy?
What are the best practices?
What will be the future elements to be included in national cybersecurity strategies?

Session 2: Challenges facing developing countries; international collaboration to promote cybersecurity initiatives

This session focused on the challenges that developing countries are facing when building cybersecurity capacity. It also shares practical examples on how international collaboration can be used to promote cybersecurity initiatives.

With the constant expansion of broadband to unconnected parts of the world, most of the growth in the adoption of ICTs is expected to come from developing countries. Newly connected countries have the opportunity to leverage the potential of ICTs to generate wealth and boost their socio-economic development and to achieve this they need robust, reliable, and trustworthy systems that would create a solid foundation for their businesses to operate and evolve.

What are the three key challenges faced by developing countries in achieving an effective level of cybersecurity?
How can existing regional and international collaboration be enhanced to promote cybersecurity initiatives?
Are there innovative vehicles of collaboration that can be considered?

Agenda, presentations, and other documents

The meeting agenda, presentations, and other documents can be dowloaded here:

Useful references

Main ITU cybersecurity website.

Return to the main ITU-D Study Group 2 meeting page.