State interests protection in the information field

January 6, 2012
January 3, 2012 the President of Ukraine signed the Law of Ukraine “On Amending Certain Lawsof Ukraine regarding structure and accounting personnel of the Security Service of Ukraine», № 4157,passed by Parliament on December 9, 2011.

The law provides supplement to the structure of the Central Security Service of Ukraine andsubordinated authorities with the unit of counterintelligence state interests protection in informationsecurity.

The Media Law Institute believes that the creation of such a unit without a clear definition ofinformation security and state interests protection in this area allows the Security Service of Ukraine to beactively involved in independent media, Internet resources and bloggers’ activity.

Notably, the Central Scientific Experts Office of the Supreme Council has a similar position,pointing out that the draft text should contain “a legal definition of threats in information security, tocombat which a new division of the Security Service is created, and in this regard, specifying tasks, rightsand obligations of the Security Service by amending the laws of Ukraine “On Fundamentals of Security Service of Ukraine” (concerning the specification of national security threats in the information sector,which the new unit should counteract) and “On the Security Service of Ukraine” (articles 2, 24, 25 – oncompletion of their duties and rights of the Security Service in the area of ​information security)”.
The law came into force on January 4, 2012.

The law link: http://zakon2.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/4157-17 (in Ukrainian)