This week, Russia submitted to the UN a convention on information security; Kazakh ICT experts analyzed the “Cybershield of Kazakhstan”; President of Georgia vetoed the bill “On Electronic Communications”; Russia to create a new cyber intelligence unit; Moldova boosts its digital development; Russia adopted a bill on the blocking of “mirrors sites”; New measures to protect children on the Internet proposed in Russia.
1. Russia has developed and submitted to the UN a convention on information security, which aims to counter cybercrime. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, stated that the main goal of the document is the elimination of threats and risks associated with the activities of cybercriminals, such as hacking. Lavrov suggested that the UN convention will help countries to engage in a meaningful dialogue.
2. Kazakh ICT experts assessed the governmental plan “Cybershield of Kazakhstan”, which was adopted on March 7, 2017. This document is the first attempt to develop an integrated approach to ensuring the national cybersecurity. However, the experts state that adding more details to the document is required to make it truly operational.
3. Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili vetoed the bill “On Electronic Communications”, submitted by the ruling party, Georgian Dream, demanding its amendment. The bill regulates the creation of a special government agency that would be allowed to conduct secret surveillance. Parliamentarians assure that they would easily overcome the presidential veto.
4. The Russian government establishes a new cyber intelligence unit within the Federal National Guard Troops Service, also known as the Russian Guard. The unit will identify threats to information security of Russia, react to cyber-attacks and monitor social networks for the propaganda of extremism online. There is a plan to create an integrated system for web space monitoring.
5. Russian MP, Irina Yarovaya, proposed the Russian Ministry of Education to create methodological recommendations for parents and teachers on the early detection of children’s’ gaming and Internet addiction. In addition, MP Yarovaya plans to introduce amendments to the bill aimed at strengthening the protection of children from sexual violence online. One of the proposals is the creation of an obligatory genomic database of those accused of pedophilia.
DR Comment: MP Yarovaya is well-known for the so-called “Yarovaya Law”, which introduced serious legal restrictions on the public use of Internet and ICT industry. The above proposals follow the general Russian trend toward increasing the state control over the Internet.
6. The Moldovan government has approved a 2017-2020 plan to ensure the safety of children on the Internet. The implementation of the plan will require $110,000, which will be provided by different external partners.
7. The EU will allocate €2 million to finance a new system of intellectual property protection in Moldova. It is planned that the project will be completed by November 2018. The main goal of the project is to improve the implementation and enforcement of the IP legislation.
8. The Russian State Duma adopted a bill on the blocking of “mirrors sites”, which regulates the illegal distribution and use of audiovisual materials on the Internet. The document, adopted in the first reading, defines mirror sites, stipulates procedures for taking them down and prescribes rules for search engine operators.