International Telecommunication Union

Definition

Founded in 1865, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has been an integral part of the United Nations since its inception in 1947. Its mission includes developing technical standards, allocating the radio spectrum, and providing technical assistance and capacity-building to developing countries.

Overview

According to ITU, three sectors carry out these missions by promoting recommendations: the ITU-Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T), the ITU- Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R), and the ITU-Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D). In addition, the ITU General-Secretariat provides top-level leadership to ensure that institutional strategies are harmonized across all sectors. ITU members include delegations from 191 nations, as well as more than 700 members from the private sector.

The ITU has also developed technical standards for security and, more recently, engaged in other cybersecurity activities. For example, ITU-T has established a study group for telecommunications security to focus on developing standards and recommendations associated with network and information security, application security, and identity management. Similarly, ITU-D, through its members’ efforts, prepared a report on cybersecurity best practices for countries seeking to organize national cybersecurity efforts.

While this effort was underway, the ITU General-Secretariat separately issued a Global Cybersecurity Agenda (GCA) designed to promote a comprehensive and coordinated international approach to cybersecurity across all ITU sectors. The GCA has five specific focus areas: legal measures, technical and procedural measures, organizational structures, capacity-building, and international cooperation.

In addition, the ITU Secretary General signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats (IMPACT) that is to establish an operations center to coordinate incident response and to provide cyber threat information to member countries and the private sector.