London Conference, Day Two

On November 2nd, 2011, the AP reported on how British Foreign Secretary William Hague warned foreign governments against state-sponsored cyberattacks during day two of the London Conference on Cybersecurity.  Hague was careful not to identify any particular countries by name, but hinted at a more confrontational approach if these countries don't stop their widespread cyberattacks.  Hague was clear that Britain had not hosted a "judgmental conference" in order to point fingers at countries and shame them, but that "may happen on other occasions."  Although Russia and China had proposed an internet "code of conduct," Hague believed that the proposal did not match Britain's commitment to free expression and an open Web.

***

The Guardian reported that four messages came out of the conference:

1. A rapid rise in cyber crime is a growing threat to every country;
2. Governments cannot treat cyberspace as if it belonged to them;
3. State-sponsored cyberspace attacks are not in the interest of any country in the long term, and;
4. Those attempting to hinder transparency and the free flow of ideas will fail.

***

Forbes also reported on how Eugene Kaspersky, founder of anti-virus powerhouse Kaspersky Labs and an information security expert, made provocative comments at the London Conference.  Finding the threat of cyberterrorism the world's biggest concern, Kaspersky told reporters at the conference that “I don’t want to speak about it. I don’t even want to think about it.  But we are close, very close, to cyber terrorism. Perhaps already the criminals have sold their skills to the terrorists – and then…oh, God.”