The Russian military's information technology chief said on Thursday that a United Nations-backed plan for a global cyberwarfare non-aggression pact is being pursued.
The issue of cyberwarfare, or the use of hacking attacks by governments and militaries against each other has been noted as a growing danger worldwide. The relatively low cost and simplicity of the technology needed launch an attack, compared to conventional weaponry, allows many countries to deploy cyberwarfare.
"The first step in this direction will be signing of the Electronic Non-Aggression Pact, which will be signed under the auspices of the UN," Yury Kuznetsov, head of the Russian General Staff's Eighth Directorate, which relates to information technology, said on Thursday.
Kuznetsov added that the expected document would focus on banning attacks against countries' critical resources.
"Global computerization of society allows for the use of information technology to destabilize a country's social situation. The world's leading countries understand the need for legal regulation in this area," Kuznetsov added.
One recent case of a "successful" use of cyberwarfare was the United States' National Security Agency (NSA) shutting down of Syria's Internet access while trying to hack its mainframe in 2012.
The treaty would also address the use of technology by terrorist groups such as Daesh for purposes of illegal activities and propaganda.
