ABU DHABI // The Government has called for a more concerted effort in fighting cyber crime and increased international cooperation in the wake of a giant ransomware attack.
Since last Friday, the so-called WannaCry cyber attack has affected more than 200,000 people in 150 countries.
Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, chairman of the International Conference for the Criminalisation of Cyber Terrorism, said the Abu Dhabi Declaration outlines the need for more work towards forging a legally binding agreement between all countries to fight cyber crime and cyber terrorism.
The UAE would seek to ratify the agreement that would enable international cooperation, he said.
The Abu Dhabi Declaration condemns cyber crimes and seeks to work with the United Nations in protecting people and companies from cyber attacks.
“We must all work together at this time as the threat of cyber terrorism, in all its forms, is a real one and must be fought on several fronts. We need strong laws to make sure that those who engage in this act are deterred,” Dr Al Nuaimi said.
The WannaCry virus automatically encrypts files on computers it has infected that use older Windows software and demands money to decrypt the files.
The virus also sets a time limit on the demand and automatically doubles its demand within three hours and will delete the encrypted files within six hours.
The attack, which hits companies by targeting networks, has been described as the biggest yet. In the UK, the National Health Service was badly affected and patients were left stranded as operations and appointments were cancelled and ambulances diverted.
The hope is that the Abu Dhabi Declaration will lead to international cooperation on tackling cyber crimes.
nalwasmi@thenational.ae