Cyberattacks Surge, Exposing Limits of Tech Solutions

The UN is supporting Member States in drafting a convention to counter the criminal use of ICT

The internet now reaches every corner of the world and underpins everything from health systems and financial markets to public services and election management. While this deep global interconnectedness brings major benefits, a growing wave of cybercrime is putting millions at risk.

A breach at a small Ukrainian software company in 2017 may have seemed minor at first. But within a year, the NotPetya attack had caused more than $10 billion in global losses.

That same year, the WannaCry ransomware attack hit the UK’s National Health Service particularly hard before spreading to more than 150 countries within days. In 2022, a cyberattack on the International Committee of the Red Cross exposed sensitive data of over half a million people.

The economic cost of cybercrime now runs into the trillions, alongside a rise in state-linked cyberattacks targeting civilian and humanitarian infrastructure.

These growing threats highlight the limits of purely technical cybersecurity solutions. Experts increasingly argue that a broader, more coordinated approach is needed.

Shift towards cyber resilience

There is now a shift in thinking from cybersecurity to cyber resilience — the ability of systems and societies to prepare for, respond to, and recover from attacks.

However, efforts to build a global response face challenges. The digital landscape is becoming more fragmented due to rapid technological change, differing regulations, and political divisions.

These gaps create vulnerabilities that no single government, company, or international body can manage alone.

Building a collective response

Efforts to build cooperation have been underway for years. In 2015, the UN General Assembly endorsed 11 voluntary norms for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, reaffirming them in 2021.

To make these effective, governments need to clearly define critical infrastructure, assign responsibility to competent agencies, strengthen cyber capabilities, and establish clear rules for incident reporting and cooperation.

Participation in confidence-building measures, such as the UN-led Points of Contact directory, can also help. These systems allow secure communication during cyber incidents, helping to reduce tensions and improve coordinated responses.

Partnerships key to progress

Experts stress that governments must work closely with industry, civil society, and academia. Initiatives like the Cybersecurity Tech Accord, the Paris Call, and the Internet Governance Forum highlight the importance of collaboration.

Upcoming efforts, including the UN’s Global Mechanism on Information and Communications Technology, aim to strengthen cooperation, improve capacity, and ensure sustained progress.

Ultimately, only coordinated global action can build true cyber resilience and protect the digital systems that modern life depends on.