MOSCOW, 31 March (BelTA) - A meeting of the heads of national headquarters of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on a permanent operation aimed at countering crimes in the field of information technology (Operation PROXY) was held at the CSTO Secretariat on 30 March, CSTO spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov told BelTA.
CSTO Deputy Secretary General Valery Semerikov noted that in 2020 the units of national security and internal affairs of CSTO member states specializing in combating crimes in the field of information technology, special units of competent authorities to combat drug trafficking and illegal migration, structures engaged in financial monitoring successfully solved the tasks related to the main priority areas of cooperation. “Despite the difficulties associated with the coronavirus, the whole complex of planned activities aimed at ensuring information security and aimed at the protection of the information space and information resources of the CSTO member states from criminal encroachments, terrorist and extremist orientation, drug trafficking, as well as crimes in the field of migration committed through the use of information technology has been implemented,” said Valery Semerikov.
This year was defined by the heads of the organization's member states as the year of continuing to consolidate efforts in the fight against modern challenges and threats and improving interstate cooperation in carrying out crime prevention operations to combat drug trafficking, crime in the information and communication sector, illegal migration and mercenarism. “The heads of national headquarters emphasized in their speeches that the main threats to state and public security remain the activities of criminal organizations and groups, including transnational ones, associated with illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychoactive substances, weapons, ammunition, explosives, organization of illegal migration and human trafficking. The danger of such threats is multiplied when the above-mentioned criminal goals are achieved by means of information and telecommunication technologies, primarily by means of the internet. At the same time, the development of digital technology, in addition to its benefits, brings with it considerable risks and opens up new opportunities for committing crimes and terrorist attacks. All of this can be significantly exacerbated if due attention is not paid to the protection of digital sovereignty. That is why it is vital to gradually build up protection against existing and potential cyber threats at the level of interstate cooperation within the CSTO,” the spokesman said.
The results of the Operation PROXY show that the information environment remains vulnerable to terrorist, extremist influence and other illegal purposes, including dissemination of information to undermine the constitutional order, incitement of ethnic and religious hatred, and is actively used for these purposes against the background of significant political events.
“The following priority areas of cooperation for this year have been identified at the meeting of the heads of national headquarters of the CSTO member-states: combating activities against the foundations of the constitutional order and state security; exchange of information and carrying out joint activities to counteract the illegal activities of international hacker groups involved in the development of software designed for illegal access to computer information, as well as bringing to justice the administrators of criminal network resources; combating illicit drug trafficking activities and the use of the internet for drug trade and trafficking; combating terrorist and extremist activities carried out with the use of information and communication technologies,” the spokesman said.
