Impact

The International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats (IMPACT) is the first United Nations-backed cybersecurity alliance. Since 2011, IMPACT serves as a key partner of the United Nations’ (UN) specialised agency for ICTs – the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Being the first comprehensive public-private partnership against cyber threats, IMPACT serves as a politically neutral global platform that brings together governments of the world, industry and academia to enhance the global community’s capabilities in dealing with cyber threats. With a total of 152 countries now formally part of the ITU-IMPACT coalition, and with strong support from industry giants, partners from academia and international organizations, IMPACT is the largest cybersecurity alliance of its kind. Headquartered in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, IMPACT is the operational home of ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Agenda (GCA). IMPACT offers ITU’s Member States with access to expertise, facilities and resources to effectively address cyber threats, as well as assisting United Nations agencies in protecting their ICT infrastructures. The IMPACT initiative was first announced by the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia during the closing ceremony of the 15th World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) 2006, held in the Austin, Texas, United States. Initially IMPACT was known as the ‘International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber-Terrorism’. In 2008, following feedback from member governments and also from IMPACT’s International Advisory Board (IAB) during IMPACT’s official launch at the World Cyber Security Summit 2008 (WCSS), the words ‘Cyber Terrorism’ in IMPACT’s name was changed to ‘Cyber Threats’ to reflect its wider cybersecurity role.