Washington, DC - On September 28, Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan hosted a ministerial meeting on advancing responsible state behavior and deterring malicious activity in cyberspace. The Deputy Secretary led a discussion with over 20 countries on ways to confront cyber threats while maintaining the many benefits that free people and free nations have come to enjoy from the Internet. He also raised re-starting expert-led international talks on responsible state behavior at the United Nations.
The Deputy Secretary emphasized that responsible state behavior in cyberspace should be guided by international law, adherence during peacetime to non-binding norms of state behavior, and implementation of practical confidence building measures. At the same time, the Deputy Secretary said that there must be consequences for states that act contrary to this framework. He called upon participants—and all nations—to work together to hold states accountable for their malicious cyber activity.
The meeting reflected the United States’ ongoing efforts to build international cooperation in order to promote and maintain an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure cyberspace.