The UK and France launched the Pall Mall Process in February 2024. This brought together representatives from States, companies and civil society groups who signed the Pall Mall Declaration, a non-binding set of guidelines agreeing on the need to take forward international action to tackle this shared threat, around the 4 guiding pillars of:
- accountability
- precision
- oversight
- transparency
This marked the beginning of the Pall Mall Process – an iterative and ongoing international process which aims to establish a framework for responsible behaviour across the market which includes clear guidelines for those developing, selling and using commercial cyber intrusion capabilities (CCICs).
In April 2025, the UK and France launched the landmark Code of Practice for States, which sets out commitments for State action in relation to the development, facilitation, purchase, and use of CCICs, against the 4 pillars underpinning the Pall Mall Process. It establishes a set of good practice policy and regulatory recommendations to help ensure States’ use CCICs in a responsible manner. This was an important first step shape the CCIC market, with recommendations for States as regulators, customers, and responsible users of these tools.
This was followed by the launch of the Pall Mall Process Industry Guidelines in November 2026. Complementary to the Code of Practice for States, and informed by the 4 guiding pillars, the Industry Guidelines provide practical recommendations endorsed by States and implemented by the commercial cyber intrusion industry.
Through the Industry Guidelines, we aim to disincentivise irresponsible activity across the market for CCICs; improve transparency for regulators, vendors and customers; and provide clarity for businesses operating both within and peripherally to the industry.
The Guidelines were informed by substantial consultation and negotiation, which invited views from States, industry, academia and civil society on good practice in the cyber intrusion industry.
The following countries have endorsed these guidelines:
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Costa Rica
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Japan
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Slovakia
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
This article was originally published on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-pall-mall-process-guidelines-for-industry. It is shared here under a Creative Commons license.
