ICTs are a vital tool in information societies.
However, they continue to be exploited by malevolent users and this phenomenon is becoming intrinsically linked to organized crime on the Internet.

Vulnerabilities in software applications are purposely sought out in order to create malware that will enable unauthorized access and modification, thus compromising integrity, authenticity and confidentiality of the ICT networks and systems.

With the increasing sophistication of malware, these threats cannot be overestimated and they could have dire consequences if critical information infrastructures are affected. Standards development bodies have a vital role to play in addressing security vulnerabilities in protocols.