US signs cybercrime convention

The US Senate has signed the international Convention on Cybercrime.

The convention aims to promote greater international cooperation on internet facilitated investigations.

The Convention on Cybercrime is the first treaty on computer-related crime and the collaboration of electronic investigation. The Cyber Security Industry Alliance (CSIA) and Business Software Alliance (BSA) will be responsible for acting on the treaty.

Participating countries including the UK are required to target activities including computer intrusion, computer-facilitated fraud, the release of worms and viruses, child pornography and copyright infringement.

Fifteen European nations including Albania, Denmark, France, Norway and Ukraine, have fully ratified the final document.

The UK has yet to fully ratify the document which requires the implementation of the convention’s principles into national laws; however most of them are already part of UK law.

Negotiations for the treaty began in 1997 after the Council of Europe established the need for global cooperation to combat cybercrime.

The Council of Europe has 45 members, including all 25 members of the European Union. The treaty was opened for signatures in November 2001.

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Further Reading:

International assault on cybercrime closer

EU to unify e-crime rules