The Cyber Policy Portal, UNIDIR’s confidence building tool, has undergone a number of improvements in recent months. Keeping the Portal updated allows us to stay relevant in a field that is constantly evolving, while making the information more accessible means we are able to promote transparency and cooperation in cyberspace.
The confidence-building efforts behind the Portal have not gone unnoticed, as both UN processes dedicated to international ICT security – the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) and the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) – have recently recognised the Cyber Policy Portal as an important confidence-building tool for cyberspace. This landmark recognition stands out among various other achievements, such as the introduction of the CPP in UNITAR’s workshop on Applicability of International Law to Cyberspace and the inclusion of the Portal in newsletters from the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE), Reaching Critical Will, and the Let’s Talk Cyber multi-stakeholder dialogue.
The Cyber Policy Portal has been improved by a number of new features that enhance the user experience. For example, the Portal now offers an “In Progress” label, allowing you to monitor documents that are being developed or that have entered the legislative process. A comprehensive glossary was also implemented directly in the relevant categories of the Portal. And with more and more users browsing the Portal on mobile devices, we have improved the mobile experience by adding zoom controls on the landing-page map.
Cooperation and the will to strengthen partnerships have also been at the centre of improvements to the Portal. Users can now access a brand-new section dedicated to “Other Resources”, which showcases relevant tools dedicated to international peace and security in cyberspace. The growing visibility of the Portal has driven governmental cooperation with UNIDIR, resulting in over 100 profile updates in the first half of 2021.
All the new features on the Portal are summarised in our new Cyber Policy Portal video, which is available subtitled into all of the official UN languages (see below).
Regular updates and new features on the Portal have led to significant growth in visitor numbers, with a 26% increase in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.
Looking back, we are thrilled to see how the Cyber Policy Portal has developed over the course of the years, from recognition by the UN Cyber processes and the broader cyber community to increasingly regular updates of national profiles. We are on track to reach our goal of becoming the number-one resource for governments reporting national developments and consulting on international developments in the cybersecurity policy landscape.
For updates and news concerning the Cyber Policy Portal, visit the UNIDIR Twitter account or contact our team directly at cyberpolicyportal@un.org.
