The above information was just shared by Mr. Le Cong Phu, Deputy Director of Vietnam Cyber ​​Emergency Response Center - VNCERT/CC, Department of Information Security (Ministry of Information and Communications) at the seminar on "Information security - A vital factor for businesses in the digital age", taking place on September 26 in Hanoi.

Important pillars to maintain sustainable economic development

Organized by the Hanoi Women Entrepreneurs Association in collaboration with MISA, CyPeace, Savvycom and Hanel, under the auspices of the Department of Information Security, the seminar "Information Security - The Vital Factor of Enterprises in the Digital Age" aims to provide useful and practical information for enterprises and small and medium enterprises, contributing to raising awareness and capacity to protect information, data and digital assets of enterprises in Vietnam, especially small and medium enterprises in the digital economy.

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VNCERT/CC Deputy Director Le Cong Phu said that the situation of cyber security in Vietnam has continued to be complicated and unpredictable in recent times. Photo: M. Tuan

Speaking to business representatives attending the event, VNCERT/CC Deputy Director Le Cong Phu said that in the context of increasing cyber-attack campaigns associated with geopolitical and military disputes and conflicts around the world, the situation of cyber-information insecurity in Vietnam in recent times has also been complicated and unpredictable.

According to Mr. Le Cong Phu, cyber attacks are increasingly focusing on important information infrastructures. Recently, both in the world and in Vietnam, there have been many serious incidents related to the fields of finance, banking, energy, healthcare and private business organizations.

Cyber ​​attacks on the information systems of enterprises such as VNDIRECT, PVOIL... in the first months of this year not only caused financial and reputational damage to those units but also negatively affected national cyber security activities.

Emphasizing the importance of ensuring information security for businesses, Mr. Le Cong Phu also noted that: “Current sophisticated cyber attacks are often supported by states and professional organizations. Therefore, network information security is not only a technical issue but also an important pillar to maintain sustainable economic development in the digital age, contributing to ensuring a stable and reliable business environment.”

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According to Ms. Bui Hai Yen, cyber attacks are one of the top challenges for businesses. Illustration photo: N.Loan

From observing the actual operations of businesses in the digital age, Ms. Bui Hai Yen, President of the Hanoi Women Entrepreneurs Association, commented: Digital transformation is bringing many benefits to businesses. However, this new production method is also causing businesses to face major challenges in terms of network safety and security, including challenges in the ability to protect digital assets, which are data and information of businesses in the digital environment.

“Information security issues are becoming more urgent than ever, requiring entrepreneurs and businesses to raise awareness and defense capabilities,” said Ms. Bui Hai Yen.

The 'key' to help businesses protect systems and data

At the seminar, information security experts pointed out common cybersecurity risks in Vietnam's cyberspace recently, and recommended solutions that organizations and businesses should pay attention to in order to be safe when participating in activities in the digital environment.

According to CyPeace Chairman Ngo Minh Hieu, global spending on information security and risk management in 2023 reached about 188.1 billion USD, an increase of 14.2% compared to the previous year. However, along with that, risks of information security and insecurity are also increasing rapidly.

Another alarming figure that CyPeace representatives also suggested businesses pay attention to when deploying solutions to protect their information systems is that the total number of security vulnerabilities discovered and announced in 2023 increased by 11.1% compared to 2022, in which high-level and serious vulnerabilities accounted for approximately 56% appearing on popular products and software.

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Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy, Director of Savvycom Information Security Services Division, discussed at the seminar. Photo: M. Tuan

Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy, Director of Savvycom Information Security Services, said that statistics from international organizations show that information security risks for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, are very high.

According to a 2023 report by CNBC and Black Frog, about half of data breaches target small businesses; 87% of IT decision makers at small and medium-sized businesses reported that they had responded to more than two cyberattacks.

In addition to VietNamNet , Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy said: The survey by CNBC and Black Frog also showed that only 8% have a dedicated cybersecurity budget; 25% do not have enough information security management resources due to small and limited staff size; 42% do not have a plan to respond to cybersecurity threats; and up to 1/3 of businesses participating in the survey are relying on free solutions.

Savvycom representatives recommend that businesses should deploy many solutions synchronously, from policies, training, authentication, to regularly updating software versions, penetration testing, data backup and having a plan to respond to cyber attacks.

“Humans are the weakest link in ensuring cybersecurity. Therefore, organizations need to encourage a culture of vigilance and create an environment where employees do not hesitate to report suspicious activities,” Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy recommended.

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MISA's Information Security Director Nguyen Quang Hoang recommends that businesses should choose SaaS software provided by reputable businesses. Photo: M. Tuan

Paying special attention to businesses in protecting data, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hoang, Director of Information Security of MISA, said that cyber attacks have changed significantly compared to the previous period, in which vulnerabilities from human and technological factors have become the main targets of cybercrime groups.

In that context, MISA representative said that SaaS - Software as a Service, is an important solution to help businesses protect their data. "Being cautious in cyberspace and using SaaS service software from reputable suppliers is the key for businesses to protect themselves from the increase in cyber attacks" , Mr. Nguyen Quang Hoang affirmed.

New approach needed to enhance information system defenses Emphasizing the need for a new approach to enhance the resilience of information systems, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung pointed out that the key is to protect data and quickly restore operations after incidents.