VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City is carrying out a cyber security drill even as the city and country are grappling with a grave deterioration in online security.

Screens at HCM City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport were shut down when the airport was hacked into by a Chinese group in July. - Photo: VNS

The annual drill focuses on responding to cyber attacks to improve competence during real situations and investigation, analysis and incident response.

Organised by the Department of Information and Communications, the Viet Nam Information Security Association, Ministry of Defence and Quang Trung Software Company, it includes three phases.

The first, from September 19 to 23, provides training for IT staff working for State agencies in the city.

The second phase (September 30 – October 2) will focus on addressing cyber attacks and remotely taking control of cyber attacks.

The third (October 2-7) will rehearse various scenarios in common cyber attacks on the internet and mobile phones.  

The drill is an opportunity for technicians to practise with computer technology and raise awareness of information safety at offices, enterprises and the community, according to the department.

It is essential for all relevant agencies to co-operate in responding to incidents and protecting information since there is no geographic limitation when it comes to cyber attacks, it said.

They need to join hands to protect themselves, it added.

There have been a number of cyber attacks recently.      

At the end of July an alleged Chinese hacker group carried out several attacks on Viet Nam’s two largest international airports and the official website of Vietnam Airlines.

Data about thousands of Vietnam Airlines’ Golden Lotus members was leaked.

The hackers also took control of the speaker system at Noi Bai Airport for a few minutes when a male voice distorted Viet Nam’s claims of sovereignty over the East Sea in English.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam, the attacks affected more than 100 flights at the two airports.

The hackers claimed to be 1937CN from China, one of the biggest hacker groups in the country and with a history of hacking into Vietnamese and the Philippine websites.

Airport security forces soon regained control over the hacked screens and speaker system.        

VNS