Vietnam has been warned of security challenges

Pierre Bonnet from Orchestra Networks says that Asian countries witnessing rapid economic growth, thanks in part to technology, need suitable solutions to manage the huge volume of data.

Yu Chi Yong from ViaScope also notes that Vietnam is under a rapid digital transformation process, and needs to strengthen security measures and investments. A a concentrated network management system can manage IT (information technology) resources and control information security.

A report on cybersecurity released by BKAV Corporation on December 19, 2018 last year showed that damages caused by computer viruses in Vietnam in 2018 were estimated at VND14.9 trillion, an increase of 21 percent compared with 2017. The figure, equal to 0.26 percent of Vietnam's GDP, is an alarming record.

More than 60 percent of agencies and businesses in Vietnam were infected with cryptocurrency malware. Six out of every 10 agencies and businesses reported being hijacked.

However, the good news, according to Tran Minh Quang from Viettel’s Cybersecurity Center, is that Vietnam’s businesses are aware of the importance of information security to their systems. In recent years, many businesses have allocated bigger budgets for modern solutions to fight cyberattacks and have applied security assurance procedures.

Lying Thi Le Thuy from Cisco Vietnam said that cybersecurity and information security must be seen as a major part of digital strategies. Businesses can apply security solutions themselves or outsource to technology firms to ensure security under the national five-level standards.

Many solution providers exist in the market, which makes it difficult to choose solutions suited to businesses’ pockets and operations.

According to Quang, Vietnamese-made solutions have advantages as they are tailored to fit domestic needs and have ready post-services. However, foreign security products have advanced features which can solve many problems related to information security. 

But businesses will have to think carefully before choosing foreign solutions.

Some reports said foreign security products contain malware which can open the back door for remote device hijacking. It is not easy to examine safety of products, especially packaged products with closed source codes. 

This remains a controversial issue. A security expert, while confirming the concern about the safety of foreign products, said if Vietnam rejects foreign products, it will lag behind in the 4.0 industry era.

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