INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION

ITU-T

TELECOMMUNICATION

STANDARDIZATION SECTOR

OF ITU

WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDIZATION ASSEMBLY

Florianópolis, 5-14 October 2004

Resolution 50 – Cybersecurity

FOREWORD

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency in the field of telecommunications. The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) is a permanent organ of ITU. ITU-T is responsible for studying technical, operating and tariff questions and issuing Recommendations on them with a view to standardizing telecommunications on a worldwide basis.

The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA), which meets every four years, establishes the topics for study by the ITU-T study groups which, in turn, produce Recommendations on these topics.

The approval of ITU-T Recommendations is covered by the procedure laid down in WTSA Resolution 1.

RESOLUTION 50

Cybersecurity

(Florianópolis, 2004)

The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (Florianópolis, 2004),

Considering

a)      the crucial importance of the information and communication infrastructure to practically all forms of social and economic activity;

b)      that the legacy public switched telephone network (PSTN) has a level of inherent security properties because of its hierarchical structure and built-in management systems;

c)      that IP networks provide reduced separation between user components and network components if adequate care is not taken in the security design and management;

d)     that the converged legacy networks and IP networks are therefore potentially more vulnerable to intrusion if adequate care is not taken in the security design and management;

e)      that the type and number of cyberincidents, including attacks from worms, viruses, malicious intrusions and thrill-seeker intrusions are on the increase,

Recognizing

the resolves of Resolution 130 (Marrakesh, 2002) of the Plenipotentiary Conference to strengthen  the role of ITU in information and communication network security, and the instruction to intensify work within ITU study groups,

Recognizing further

the emphasis of this assembly to focus the network security work of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T),

Noting

the vigorous activity and interest in the development of security standards and  Recommendations in ITU-T Study Group 17 and in other standardization bodies, including the Global Standards Collaboration group,

Resolves

1. that ITU-T evaluate existing and evolving new Recommendations, and especially signaling and communications protocol Recommendations, with respect to their robustness of design and potential for exploitation by malicious parties to interfere destructively with their deployment in the global information and communication infrastructure;
2. that ITU-T continue to raise awareness, within its area of operation and influence, of the need to defend information and communication systems against the threat of cyberattack, and continue to promote cooperation among appropriate entities in order to enhance exchange of technical information in the field of information and communication network security,

Further resolves

to forward to the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group (TSAG) the report of the Cybersecurity Symposium held on 4 October 2004 in Florianópolis, for its consideration and follow-up as appropriate, to develop, in consultation with the chairman of TSAG and the appropriate study group chairmen, a plan to undertake the abovementioned evaluation of relevant Recommendations at the earliest possible time considering resources available and other priorities, and to provide updates of the progress regularly to TSAG,

Further instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau

1. to include in the annual report to the Council specified in Resolution 130 (Marrakesh, 2002) of the Plenipotentiary Conference the progress in the evaluations under resolves above;
2. to continue to take appropriate action to publicize the need to defend information and communication networks against the threat of cyberattack, and to cooperate with other relevant entities in these efforts;
3. to liaise with other bodies active in this field, such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF),

Invites Member States, Sector Members and Associates, as appropriate,

To participate actively in the implementation of this resolution and the associated actions.