Principles of effective cooperation between hosting providers and government agencies in the fight against cybercrime
The seizure of NIC.UA's servers did not achieve the desired results (the closure of separatist websites). However, the negative consequences will impact the entire hosting market, according to Tatyana Popova, head of the Internet Association of Ukraine. She spoke at a press conference titled "Hosting Providers' Willingness to Cooperate with the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs: Dialogue Instead of Server Seizures" (April 20, Ukrainian Crisis Media Center).
NIC.UA Director Andriy Khvetkevich stated that hosting providers are ready to establish effective cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). Otherwise, honest taxpayers, public and government organizations, and entrepreneurs whose businesses have been disrupted by server seizures will suffer.
Incidentally, NIC.UA's experience of effective interaction with government agencies led to the legal closure of the gubarev.org website in the summer of 2014.
[caption id="attachment_11535" align="alignnone" width="553"] List of NIC.UA clients affected by the seizure of their hosting servers.[/caption]
The Institute of Anti-Cybercrime (IAU) has a working group to combat cybercrime. It also includes representatives from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). This is just one of the intermediaries between the SBU and MVD and hosting providers.
Tatyana Popova stated that the documents used to seize NIC.UA's servers were properly executed. However, government agencies' actions against the hosting provider must be correct not only from a legal standpoint but also from a common-sense standpoint. A recent law on business deregulation stipulates that equipment seizures are permitted only in a strictly prescribed manner, based on a specific list. In the case of NIC.UA, copying the information (if necessary) was sufficient. In reality, seizing equipment was not necessary to block the separatists' domains.
IT businesses and law enforcement agencies have a wealth of legal mechanisms to support their operations. But wouldn't it be better to establish cooperation and constructive dialogue to combat cybercrime from a single perspective?
