Countering cyber challenges and threats: CSTO PA legislation

Developed by the Armenian science and education centre Intellect, the Concept Action Plan and Toolbox to Counter Cyber Challenges and Threats was adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Member States on November 30, 2020.
The Assembly then took place remotely.
Prior to the creation of the document, the Centre’s staff thoroughly studied the legislation of a number of countries, including CSTO States, in this sphere of law.
The conclusions were not encouraging: national legislation does not improve in time to keep up with the extremely intensive development of high technology and the introduction of automated operational control systems using the Internet in almost all spheres of life, from utility services and communications to areas of strategic importance, including healthcare, economy, transport and aviation and civil security.
At the same time, international criminals and terrorists are increasingly willing to use the latest digital technology in their activities. Thus, the cyber challenges and cyber threats that plague us at every turn have in fact become an undeniable reality. Wherever the Internet is used, security issues are extremely urgent, not only because they arise invariably against the backdrop of the processes that are not fully controlled, but also for the simple reason that crimes are committed by people both outside and within the worldwide network.
And the number and variety of crimes committed in the digital world, or in real life by means of the Internet, is intensively increasing.
Currently, based on the Concept of Action Plan and Toolbox to Counter Cyber Challenges and Threats, the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly develops model laws regulating separate narrower areas of cyber security in order to counter new emerging threats. The aim is to contribute to the approximation and harmonization of legislation in this area within the CSTO framework.
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