In 2002 TEL issued the APEC Cyber Security Strategy, comprising recommendations in the area of cybercrime legislation, security and technical guidelines, public awareness, and training and education.

On October 21, 2001 the APEC Leaders issued their Statement on Counter-Terrorism that condemned terrorist attacks and deemed it imperative to strengthen cooperation at all levels in combating terrorism in a comprehensive manner. As part of this statement, the Leaders called for strengthening APEC activities in the area of critical infrastructure protection, including telecommunications. On May 30, 2002, the Telecommunications and Information Ministers of the APEC economies issued the Shanghai Declaration that included a Statement on the Security of Information and Communications Infrastructures and a Program of Action. The Statement endorsed action by member economies to combat criminal misuse of information and instructed the TEL to give special priority to and facilitate APEC work on the protection of information and communications infrastructures. The Program of Action further expanded the TEL’s e-security activities to include facilitating collaboration among relevant expert groups.