For the purpose to increase international cooperation in the fight against cybercrime, the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime: Strengthening International Cooperation for Combating Certain Crimes Committed by Means of Information and Communications Technology Systems and for the Sharing of Evidence in Electronic Form of Serious Crimes was adopted in 2024. It defines legal criteria for tackling offenses such as unauthorized access, cyber fraud, and online child exploitation, while ensuring human rights and data privacy.
By General Assembly resolution 79/243 of December 24, 2024, the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime was unanimously approved.
On 25 and 26 October 2025, the Convention opened for signature in Hanoi at the High-Level Conference and Signing Ceremony hosted by the Government of Viet Nam and concluded with 72 signatures.
After signature, States will complete their internal domestic processes to implement the Convention and, once accomplished, deposit an instrument of ratification, acceptance, or approval with the Secretary-General to formally become States Parties to the Convention. By depositing an instrument of accession, states that did not sign the Convention may also become Parties.
Ninety days after the deposit of the 40th instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession, the Convention will come into effect.
The new agreement makes a number of cyber-dependent and cyber-enabled offenses illegal, makes it easier for states to share electronic evidence across borders, and creates a network of cooperation that is open around-the-clock.
