ITU Regional Cybersecurity Forum for Asia and Pacific

At the start of the 21st century, modern societies have a growing dependency on information and communication technologies (ICTs) that are globally interconnected. This interconnectivity creates interdependencies and risks that must be managed at national, regional and international levels. At the national level, each nation should consider organizing itself to take coordinated action related to the prevention of, preparation for, response to, and recovery from cyber incidents. Such action require coordination and cooperation among national participants, including, those in government, business, and other organizations, as well as individual users, who develop, own, provide, manage, service and use information systems and networks. The formulation and implementation by all nations of a national framework for cybersecurity and critical information infrastructure protection (CIIP) represents a first step in addressing the challenges arising from globally interconnected ICT infrastructures.

The Framework aims to identify the major cybersecurity actors in a country, their roles and means of coordination, interaction, and cooperation. These actors include agencies and institutions that:

* Lead government interagency efforts on cybersecurity and provide operational guidance;
* Interact with the private sector with regards to cybersecurity whether for cybercrime, incident management, or technical and policy development;
* Develop and enforce laws related to cybersecurity;
* Coordinate action related to the prevention of, preparation for, response to, and recovery from cyber incidents; and,
* Promote a national culture of cybersecurity, including awareness-raising for individuals, small businesses and other users.

This event aims to bring together government representatives, industry actors, and other stakeholder groups in countries from the Asia-Pacific region to discuss, share information, and collaborate on the elaboration and implementation of national policy, regulatory and enforcement frameworks for cybersecurity and CIIP. It will benefit information and communication policy makers from ministries and government departments; institutions and departments dealing with cybersecurity policies, legislation and enforcement; and representatives from operators, manufacturers, service providers, industry and consumer associations involved in promoting a culture of cybersecurity.

The meeting will also consider initiatives at the regional and international level to increase cooperation and coordination amongst different stakeholders. In addition, the meeting will address, through separate sessions, some of the unique cybersecurity related challenges faced by Small Island Developing States including the Pacific Island countries. This is in line with WTDC Resolution 17 (Doha, 2006), which includes the Asia-Pacific Regional Initiative on “Unique Telecommunication / ICT Needs of the Small Island Developing States and Pacific Island Countries.”

Meeting participation is open to ITU Member States, Sector Members, Associates, and other interested stakeholders, including representatives from regional and international organizations. ITU will provide one full fellowship for each delegation duly authorized by their respective ITU Administration in the least developed countries (LDCs) in the Asia-Pacific region, subject to available budget, for participating in this meeting. The number of delegates from a country is not limited, however, the country will bear all costs of additional delegates. Ideally a country would send representatives reflecting the major functions in cybersecurity referenced in the bulleted points above. It is expected that each delegation be familiar with their national cybersecurity-related initiatives. The online meeting pre-registration and fellowship form can be found here .

Please note that the first day of the event, 15 July 2008, will be dedicated to an ITU Tariff Group for Asia and Oceania (TAS) Seminar on the Economics of Cybersecurity.

Please contact cybmail (at) itu.int with any general queries you may have related to this event.

Forum Details

Online pre-registration for the event is required.

Please note that online pre-registration and application for fellowships (for eligible LDCs in the Asia-Pacific Region) should be made as soon as possible but not later than 15 June 2008.

Countries requiring assistance to attend the meeting should contact Mr. Wisit Atipayakoon at the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok, Thailand, on telephone: +66 2 574 8565 or e-mail: wisit.atipayakoon (at) itu.int with copy to cybmail (at) itu.int.

Please send electronic contributions to the meeting on national cybersecurity experiences to cybmail (at) itu.int before 20 June 2008.

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/cyb/events/2008/brisbane/index.html