Up to 75 countries sign a historic first UN treaty against cybercrime

Sixty-five countries around the world signed a historic first UN treaty to combat cybercrime this weekend in Hanoi, Vietnam. This treaty criminalizes, for the first time at the international level, the dissemination of intimate images without consent.

The agreement is based on the so-called Convention on Cybercrime, adopted by the General Assembly in December 2024 after five years of negotiations, and establishes the first universal framework for investigating and prosecuting online crimes, from ransomware and financial fraud to the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

"The United Nations Convention on Cybercrime is a powerful and legally binding instrument to strengthen our collective defenses against cybercrime," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

"It is a testament to the continued power of multilateralism to deliver solutions. And it is a promise that no country, regardless of its level of development, will be left defenseless against cybercrime," he added.

The new treaty criminalizes a range of cybercrimes dependent on and facilitated by cyberattacks, facilitates the exchange of electronic evidence across borders, and establishes a 24/7 network of cooperation between states.

It is also the first international treaty to recognize the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images as a crime and the first global treaty to specifically address sexual violence against children committed through information and communications technologies (ICTs)—significant victories for victims of online abuse.

"Every day, sophisticated scams defraud families, steal livelihoods, and drain billions of dollars from our economies," Guterres said. "In cyberspace, no one will be safe until everyone is safe. A single vulnerability anywhere can expose people and institutions everywhere," he warned.

Therefore, Guterres believes this is "a victory for victims of online abuse" and "a clear path for investigators and prosecutors" to overcome barriers to justice when crimes and evidence cross multiple borders.