Team Blitz India
IN her statement at the UN Security Council meeting on cybersecurity, UK Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward touched on three trends of importance to her country.
Peace, security at stake
“First, as we’ve heard, ransomware can disrupt government functions and the provision of vital public services. This creates conditions for instability when occurring at scale or for sustained periods which, as this Council knows, can impact peace and security. Any state can be a victim of ransomware,” pointed out Woodward.
“Second, as the use of AI systems in our societies grows, we need to understand how cyber threats will change, whilst identifying opportunities for AI to support our cybersecurity goals. Malicious and irresponsible actors can exploit vulnerabilities in AI systems to induce specific behaviour or manipulate its decision-making. Maintenance of international peace will require AI systems to be secure by design,” she went on to say. “Third, malicious and irresponsible actors are also able to take advantage of the growing market in advanced cyber intrusion capabilities, leading to a more unpredictable threat landscape for us all,” she further stated.
Risks of disinformation
Woodward also warned that cyber advances increase the risks of disinformation, which is clearly a major challenge. She stressed that cyber threats will present an ever-greater number of risks to international peace and security, and governments need to evolve to address them effectively. As part of this, she assured that the UK remains committed to upholding the UN Framework for Responsible State Behaviour and to working with others through capacity-building and enabling public-private partnerships.
