Hanoi Convention Signed: A Landmark Step in Global Cybercrime Fight

The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, widely known as the Hanoi Convention, was officially signed on October 25, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in international efforts to combat online digital fraud and various forms of cybercrime. This landmark event took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, signifying a major step forward in global cybersecurity cooperation, as reported by vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed the signing as a historic step towards a safer digital world, according to bernama. He emphasized that the convention represents the first comprehensive global treaty on cybercrime in over two decades, establishing a universal framework for addressing online offenses.

The signing ceremony, hosted by Vietnam in collaboration with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), saw more than 60 nations affix their signatures on the opening day, bernama stated. Vietnam Plus reported that over 2,500 delegates from 119 countries and territories, alongside representatives from over 100 international organizations, attended the event.

This new convention aims to strengthen international cooperation, facilitate the sharing of electronic evidence across borders, and establish a 24/7 network for states to collaborate effectively against cyber threats, according to un News. Its core objective is to provide an equal opportunity for all countries to work together in tackling increasingly complex and cross-border cybercrimes, VietNamNet noted.

The journey to this convention began with its adoption by the UN General Assembly in December 2024, following five years of intense negotiations by the Ad Hoc Committee, as detailed by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. This extensive process involved UN Member States, experts, civil society, academia, and the private sector, UN News reported.

Key provisions of the treaty criminalize a broad range of cyber-dependent and cyber-enabled offenses, from ransomware and financial fraud to the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, bernama confirmed. It also introduces unified definitions and investigation standards to harmonize global responses, according to un News.

For the convention to enter into force and become legally binding, it requires ratification by at least 40 states, a process that will take 90 days after the threshold is met, as explained by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. This next phase will involve countries aligning their domestic laws with the convention's requirements, according to the United Nations.

• The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, now often referred to as the Hanoi Convention, emerged from a complex five-year negotiation process initiated by Russia in 2017, as reported by wikipedia. The Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes, supported by UNODC, drafted the treaty, which the UN General Assembly adopted in December 2024. This marked the first new international criminal justice treaty in over two decades, according to un News.

• The convention's comprehensive scope addresses a wide array of cyber-dependent and cyber-enabled offenses, including ransomware, financial fraud, and, notably, the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images, making it the first international treaty to criminalize this specific act, bernama stated. It also establishes a framework for the sharing of electronic evidence and a 24/7 cooperation network among signatory states, aiming for quicker and more coordinated responses to cybercrime, UN News reported.

• The necessity for such a global treaty stems from the inherent borderless nature of cybercrime, which poses significant jurisdictional challenges for national law enforcement agencies, as highlighted by NGM Lawyers. Cybercriminals exploit the internet's global reach, making it difficult to identify suspects, secure extradition, and gather evidence across different legal systems, according to ijrdo Journal. The convention seeks to bridge these gaps by promoting harmonized laws and international cooperation, as noted by the Office of Justice Programs.

• Despite its broad support, the convention has faced criticism from human rights organizations, civil society groups, and technology companies. Concerns include the potential for expanded state surveillance, the broad and sometimes vague definition of "cybercrime," and insufficient human rights safeguards within the treaty's text, according to CNA and Human Rights Watch. Critics, such as the Tech Global Institute's Sabhanaz Rashid Diya, warned that the convention's language could enable cross-border repression and compel companies to share data without adequate protections.

• Vietnam's role as the host country for the signing ceremony underscores its growing leadership in global cybersecurity, as stated by Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang, according to Vietnam Plus. For many governments, particularly in the Global South, the treaty represents a crucial opportunity to access training, technical assistance, and real-time cooperation channels, which are vital for strengthening their capacity to combat cybercrime, bernama reported.

• The new UN Convention against Cybercrime builds upon, and in some ways diverges from, the Council of Europe's Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, which previously served as the primary international instrument. While the Budapest Convention has been ratified by 78 states, the UN treaty aims for a more universal approach, addressing criticisms that the Budapest Convention was not globally representative, as discussed by the Digital Watch Observatory and Wikipedia. The UN convention seeks to establish a truly global standard for combating cybercrime, according to the United Nations.

• Following the signing, the critical next step involves ratification by individual states, which entails internal domestic processes to formally become parties to the treaty, as outlined by UNODC. The convention will enter into force 90 days after the 40th state deposits its ratification, creating a legally binding framework. A Conference of the States Parties will then convene periodically to promote and review its implementation, ensuring ongoing effectiveness and adaptation to evolving cyber threats, unodc confirmed.

• The escalating cost of cybercrime, projected to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, underscores the urgent need for coordinated international efforts like the Hanoi Convention, according to industry experts cited by Bernama. The convention is designed to make responses to cybercrime quicker, better coordinated, and more effective, thereby making both digital and physical worlds safer and protecting economies from significant financial drain, as noted by the United Nations.