On the morning of September 18, Viettel Cyber Security (VCS), a subsidiary of Viettel Group, in collaboration with IEC Group, held the CIO CSO Summit 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, an annual high-level conference on IT and cybersecurity now in its seventh consecutive year.

This year's theme focused on "Cybersecurity strategy - Shaping a sustainable future in the AI-powered operations era."

Nguyen Son Hai, Director of Viettel Cyber Security, emphasized that while artificial intelligence (AI) brings vast opportunities, it also raises significant security concerns that must be deeply understood and addressed.

According to Hai, the CIO CSO Summit 2025 aims to create a space where experts can share ideas and discuss solutions to critical questions such as: How can AI be used effectively while mitigating risks? How can Vietnamese enterprises not only keep pace but also thrive in the evolving cybersecurity landscape?

Speaking at the event, Dr. Nguyen Duc Hien, Deputy Head of the Central Committee for Policy and Strategy, highlighted that cybersecurity is a fundamental condition for socio-economic development and a crucial shield for national infrastructure. AI, he noted, is already being applied across nearly every sector.

Dr. Hien expressed the committee’s desire to hear more practical solutions and experiences from domestic and international experts in addition to discussions on policy.

According to Viettel Cyber Security, AI has become a powerful technological force in recent years. It enhances the speed and precision of threat detection and response, but also equips cybercriminals with new tools.

Data from Viettel Threat Intelligence revealed that in the first six months of 2025, more than 8.5 million user accounts in Vietnam were stolen. Additionally, the country faced nearly 530,000 distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and 191 data breaches involving over 3 billion records - three times higher than in 2024.

Particularly concerning is the rise of AI-driven attacks, including hyper-personalized phishing emails, deepfake impersonations using facial image simulation, and self-morphing malware that challenges conventional defense systems.

The summit also marked the official launch of VCS Intel Hub - Vietnam’s first cybersecurity knowledge-sharing platform.

Built on the philosophy “Together we are stronger,” VCS Intel Hub aims to connect businesses, organizations, and experts to deliver early threat warnings, coordinate incident responses, and build a local knowledge ecosystem that empowers AI to function securely and effectively.

This year’s edition of the “Security Bootcamp 2025” introduced an enhanced version of the “SBC Arena,” a competitive training ground designed to develop a generation of creative and practical cybersecurity professionals.

As one of the two main activities of the bootcamp, the “Cybersecurity Arena” offers a hands-on competition format that sharpens participants' skills in identifying, mitigating, and defending against real-world cyberattacks.

Anh Phuong