VietNamNet Bridge – According to Vu Quoc Khanh, Director of the Vietnam Computer Emergency Response Team (VNCERT) under the Ministry of Information and Technology, 2010 was an eventful year for Vietnam’s Internet security. Vietnamese computer users had to be more careful. This year many new policies are expected to be issued.

 

How would VNCERT, as the management agency of Internet security, assess 2010?

 

The year 2010 was a breakthrough in the development of the information security measures. In terms of the state management, we have contributed to the compilation of the regulations on setting the problems in information security which will be added into the Criminal Law. The Prime Minister has also approved the program on digital information safety development for 2020. This is a long term comprehensive program, also serving as the basis for a more rapid development of information technology, thus enabling to turn Vietnam into an IT and communication power.

 

What we could see in 2010 was that the network security crimes became more organized. They carried out attackson large scale, with the cooperation of both the domestic and foreign forces. Their goals were clearer: either to obtain financial benefits or to destroy services.

 

Besides, many new kinds of malicious codes and new types of attacks have also spread to Vietnam from the world. information technology experts have warned about and Management agencies had also anticipated this tendency, therefore, they had set up appropriate policies and improve the capability to fight against network crimes and fix information safety troubles.

 

How about 2011?

 

2011 will be the first year for government agencies, relevant ministries and branches, local authorities and enterprises to together discuss and implement the ideas and the sub-projects under the national program on digital information security. Especially, the issues relating to the investments and the improvement of the information security and labor force training will be on the top agenda

 

The Ministry of Information and Communication, as a management agency, will focus on completing the legal framework,  issuing legal documents and setting up necessary standards so that they match the the international practice.

 

The fact that VietNamNet newspaper was hacked in 2010 was considered alarming also for online newspapers in Vietnam . There were also Many other network security problems Do you think that all this shows that Vietnam’s information security is still weak?

 

It is true that the attacks showed how big the problem of network security and the damages can be. This shows that the more the information technology is applied, the higher risks we have to face. Meanwhile, the scale of the attacks has become bigger, and the attacks have become globalized.

 

It is necessary to prevent such attacks. Management agencies and enterprises should learn from theseexperiences so that we can set up an early warning systems and quick-reaction procedures. There are always two sides of a coin: while troubles bring damages, they also provide us with information to improve our work.

 

What should we learn from the attack on VietNamNet?

 

As for many press agencies, the information security has not received appropriate attention and has not been well invested in. I do believe that press agencies need to strengthen their capability in organization, technology and human resources.

 

Source: VnMedia