Foreign Secretary calls for international collaboration on cyber defence

William Hague also promised delegates at the London Conference on Cyberspace that the government will not attempt to restrict internet users

Foreign Secretary William Hague has called for greater international collaboration to protect nations from malicious cyber attack from criminal groups and foreign states.

He made the call during his opening speech at the London Conference on Cyberspace today.

"The truth is that in cyberspace, no one country can go it alone," he said.

Referring to last year's pledge of a further £650m towards cyber defence, Hague said: "In Britain we are significantly increasing our national cyber defences and have created a new four-year programme with significant new government funding."

He explained that some of this funding would go to small businesses in order to improve the UK's cyber security.

"We are working to ensure that as many small businesses as possible win contracts to help build our cyber security infrastructure, supporting the next generation of cyber assurance technology as well as innovation and growth in our economy.

"We want to make the UK the pre-eminent, safe space for e-commerce and intellectual property online."

Hague explained that in order to achieve this, new forms of international collaboration would be required.

"The international dimensions of the misuse of digital networks also require new forms of co-operation and collaboration, especially as the internet changes."

Hague went into some detail around his concerns about increasing cyber attacks from foreign states. His comments follow Ian Lobban's, director of the government's listening agency GCHQ, statements yesterday in which he said that both UK businesses and the government have suffered increasing levels of this form of attack.

"It is increasingly clear that countries with weak cyber defences and capabilities will find themselves exposed over the long term, and at a serious strategic disadvantage given the apparent rise in state-sponsored attacks," said Hague.

Foreign Secretary calls for international collaboration on cyber defence

William Hague also promised delegates at the London Conference on Cyberspace that the government will not attempt to restrict internet users

Despite his concerns over the risks presented by the internet, Hague was keen to emphasise his belief that cyberspace and other networks should be as free from restrictions as possible.

"I believe we must aspire to a future for cyberspace that is not stifled by government control or censorship, but where innovation and competition flourish and investment and enterprise are rewarded."

This was later echoed by Carl Bildt, Swedish minister for foreign affairs, who was speaking at the same conference.

"There must be as little restriction to internet use as possible. Free communication and exchange must be the norm," said Bildt.

Hague presented a list of seven principles that he argued should form the basis for more effective co-operation between states, businesses and organisations:

• Governments should act proportionately in cyberspace and in accordance with the law;
• Everyone should have the ability to access cyberspace;
• Users of cyberspace should show tolerance and respect for diversity of language, culture and ideas;
• Cyberspace should remain open to innovation and the free flow of ideas, information and expression;
• Individual rights of privacy should be respect and proper protection should be awarded to intellectual property;
• States should work together collectively to tackle the threat from criminals acting online; and
• A competitive environment that ensures a fair return on investment in networks, services and content should be established.

"We suggested these principles as a starting point in efforts to reach a broad agreement about behaviour in cyberspace," concluded Hague.