On February 11, 2014 a regular meeting of the Russian Public Council for International Cooperation and Public Diplomacy was held at the Public Chamber to discuss the topic «Information Security and Russia’s National Interests».
The Chairman of the Council, member of the Public Chamber Sergey Ordzhonikidze, opening the session, pointed out the problem of international legal regulation as the key one: «As of today in the international law there is the Budapest Convention on Combating Cybercrime of 2001».
As the expert noted, the document is regional in nature, it has lost its relevance after more than ten years and meets the interests of a limited number of states. Another no less important aspect of international information security, according to the expert, is the «high politicization of this issue» due to the lack of trust between states. Nevertheless, despite all the complexity and multidimensionality of this issue, it is necessary to establish an international legal order in the field of information security. During his speech Sergei Ordzhonikidze drew an analogy with international legal regulation of maritime and space problems.
First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications Leonid Levin and special representative of the President of the Russian Federation on international cooperation in the field of information security Andrey Krutskikh shared information about legislative initiatives inside the country, primarily related to the protection of personal data, as well as the results of ongoing work in international forums.
According to experts, today’s realities are such that ensuring national security and protection of national interests of the state is directly connected with ensuring information security.
Consideration of the issue of information security, despite the increasing relevance and widespread discussion of this topic, reveals many «open» questions — from the understanding of the term «cyber attacks» in terms of a threat to national security to law enforcement practices and definition of responsibility for cyber attacks, which was mentioned in his speech by Anatoly Kapustin, Head of the International Law Association.
No less important problem associated with the definition of audience and connecting to the discussion of the topic the key players of the Russian Internet space, touched upon the director of the Russian Association of Electronic Communications, Sergey Plugotarenko.
The participants of the meeting came to a common conclusion that to solve the problem, which affects the national interests of the country, it is necessary to consolidate the authorities, society and business. In this regard it is important to discuss the topic at various venues in order to develop a consolidated position of Russian society and the subsequent broadcast of a coordinated, official position of Russia by the authorized authorities in the international arena.
Press Service of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation