Saudi Arabia has signed the UN Convention against Cybercrime, alongside 64 other countries, to prevent and combat crimes committed online, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
During a high-level ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam, held on October 25-26, 2025, the Governor of the Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority, Majed bin Mohammed Al-Mazyed, signed the Convention.
UN Convention against Cybercrime
Joining the Convention is a strong testament to Saudi Arabia’s commitment to strengthening security and stability in the cyberspace and reinforcing international cooperation in combating cybercrime.
The UN Convention against Cybercrime marks the first of its kind under the auspices of the UN and the first UN multilateral treaty in more than 20 years to combat crime. It is also the first binding global agreement designed to combat cybercrime, providing countries a range of measures to prevent and combat cybercrime.
The Convention, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 24, 2024 in New York, establishes the first universal framework for investigating and prosecuting offences committed online.
It was developed under the framework of the Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes. Saudi Arabia has played an active role in drafting the final text of the Convention adopted by the Committee.
Securing Cyberspace
Amid growing cyber threats, the Convention aims to promote preventive measures, enhance international cooperation, provide technical support, and encourage capacity building to confront cybercrime.
Moreover, it criminalizes a number of acts, including unauthorized system access, data interference, corruption or manipulation, and online sexual assault of children.
The convention’s signing ceremony saw the attendance of high-profile officials, including the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, who warned against the risks of advanced technology.
“In cyberspace, nobody is safe until everybody is safe. One vulnerability anywhere can expose people and institutions everywhere,” he said.
The UN Chief praised the Convention as a means to secure cyberspace. “The UN Cybercrime Convention is a powerful, legally binding instrument to strengthen our collective defenses against cybercrime,” he noted.
