UN cybercrime treaty to be signed in Hanoi to tackle global offences

25/10/2025 16:51

A landmark U.N. cybercrime treaty, aimed at tackling offences that cost the global economy trillions of dollars annually, is set to be signed in Vietnam's capital Hanoi by around 60 countries over the weekend.



The convention, which will take effect after it is ratified by 40 nations, is expected to streamline international cooperation against cybercrime, but has been criticised by activists and tech companies over concerns of possible human rights abuses.



"Cyberspace has become fertile ground for criminals...every day, sophisticated scams defraud families, steal livelihoods, and drain billions of dollars from our economies," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the opening ceremony.



"The U.N. Cybercrime Convention is a powerful, legally binding instrument to strengthen our collective defences against cybercrime."



The convention targets a broad spectrum of offences from phishing and ransomware to online trafficking and hate speech, the U.N. has said, citing estimates that cybercrime costs the global economy trillions of dollars each year.