CMC Cyber Security technicians at work. (Photo cmccybersecurity.com)

The ministry said there were 52 Vietnamese cybersecurity products in 2019. Thiswas double the number in 2018 and triple that in 2017.

It said it granted new licences to 38 cybersecurity firms , bringing the total numberof licenced firms to 84 in 2019, an increase of 82.6 percent from two yearsago.

Nguyen Huy Dung, Director of the MIC's Department of Information Security, saidVietnamese firms could master the technology and were able to meet more than 60percent of local market demand.

However, he pointed out that there were still few cybersecurity products in Vietnam,where foreign products account for more than 80 percent of market share.

A representative from MIC said local cybersecurity firms had not paid enoughattention to connecting with each other to create an ecosystem for theirproducts.

Recently, MIC has created a package of mechanisms, policies and technicalstandards to develop local products, especially products that servee-government systems, smart cities and important national information systems.

The package is designed to help develop good local products to ensurecybersecurity in Vietnam by year-end. It will also help local firms cover morethan 75 percent of domestic demand and export their tech to countries aroundthe region.

At the end of last year, an alliance with members from 21 firms includingViettel, VNPT and BKAV, among others, was formed to connect local cybersecurityfirms and develop high-quality products to form a “Made in Vietnam” ecosystem.

A representative of the Department of Information Security under the MIC said:“Developing Vietnam's ecosystem and mastering technology are building a shieldto protect national cyberspace. Vietnam cannot rely on foreign products to protectits own cybersecurity.”/.VNA