Network Security: Improved Awareness is Vital

Network security has been put on high alert in Vietnam. VIB Forum talked with Mr Nguyen Viet The, Director of Informatics Technology Department under the Ministry of Public Security, about this issue.

 

 

The Vietnamese information technology has developed very quickly in recent years, following services using internet infrastructure. Together with this fast development, the lack of network security and database protection also reached alarming level. Many hackers have attacked government websites as well as commercial websites. For example, the website www.chodientu.com was hacked by Turkish and Vietnamese hackers. The website of the Ministry of Education and Training was attacked by a Vietnamese student. Many Vietnamese hackers accessed and destroyed network systems and databases of many big organisations and companies. Most of their destructive activities were for commercial purposes, but arbitrary activities. Some wanted to be known, while others just wanted to show off their capacity, but they hardly understood the damage.

 

Organisations and companies themselves do not fully understand the potential damage of illegal access to systems and database. Many websites suffer huge losses if they are inactive for a period of time, especially commercial sites where product advertisements and contacts were posted. However, the damage was not quantified and organisations and enterprises make light of this. Many pay serious attention to investment in IT systems, but disregard data protection.

 

In developed nations, damages to hacked sites are calculated. For example, when a virus spreads from computer to computer, causing local network or even global network to deadlock, they will count the damage. 

 

Many companies have weak spots when they first build their IT systems. Normally, Vietnamese firms buy solutions and products from foreign vendors like Microsoft Windows, Oracle and Microsoft Office. Company IT systems are designed and built on foreign equipment and technologies, and on commercial operating systems like Microsoft Windows. However, all operating systems have security loopholes where hackers attack the system. Continually upgrading to protect these weaknesses is up to the vendors.

 

Most companies now employ IT to serve production and business. However, their systems were designed and built by IT experts and consultants. Companies themselves are unable to fully understand their IT system. Hence, Vietnamese companies should choose reliable partners to build their IT infrastructure. 

 

 

First of all, it is vital to raise legal awareness on this issue among all people. Some didn’t know they had illegally accessed IT systems of organisations and they were unaware of the damage caused by their activities. We are trying to improve the awareness of individuals and organisations in network security and data safety. We will cooperate with IDG Group to host a seminar on this issue.

 

Meanwhile, organisations and companies themselves must understand the design of their IT system as they build it. They should pay attention to security when they kick off the project. They need to understand the installation of software on their networks to ensure smooth operations. Duplicated patches will expose security loopholes to hackers. In short, they should make correct and sufficient investment and pay full attention to network security and data protection from the outset.

 

 

The first Conference and Exhibition on Network Security and Data Protection aims to become an independent forum for government agencies, organisations, companies, solution providers, IT experts and security experts, domestically and internationally, to share their experience in applying information and communication technology (ICT) in developed nations, helping Vietnam seek suitable network security and data protection solutions.

 

We hope this event will bring in a more comprehensive picture about the network security and data protection in Vietnam, legal framework on security, IT infrastructure and new technology and solutions, and exemplary network security units. Besides, we also hope the exchanges and discussions between leading experts will help Vietnam build a safe e-government, and apply ICT in government agencies, ministries, branches and all economic sectors.