Businesses neglect Internet security to protect reputation

Why do businesses attacked by hackers often hesitate to publicise information about the attacks?

Recent attacks, especially the incident involving VC Corp's websites, show that any organisation or business can be a potential target for hackers. However, most businesses prefer not to say anything about such attacks to protect their reputation. They only start asking for help when the situation goes out of control. More often than not, it's already too late. The whole system is brought down and data is lost permanently.

Does Vietnam Computer Emergency Response Team (VNCERT) proactively stay in touch with businesses or only respond when they ask for help?

When we detect attacks being attempted, we contact the target immediately and provide them with support. It's totally free of charge.

Banks are lucrative targets for hackers. What is your view on our bank's Internet security system?

Some are doing an excellent job to protect their information while others have room to improve. We are having trouble collecting statistics on the number of attacks against banks. Most of the time, they prefer not to acknowledge when their system is under attack or how bad the damage is out of concern for their reputation. I think there must be quite a lot of attacks attempted against banks.

Many IT tech companies have commented that banks in Viet Nam are slow and rigid when it comes to implementing IT. What's your opinion?

I've seen banks making the effort to co-operate with IT tech companies. Some banks even hosted their own events to promote the implementation of IT applications. The banking sector is doing quite an OK job to invest in IT but how well the IT industry develops depends on a long-term vision and strategy for the whole country's banking system.

And of course, before integrating any IT applications into their systems, they have to carefully evaluate how security will be affected for fear of losing important information.

A group of hackers called themselves Anonymous Malaysia made an announcement and claimed responsibility for "cyber-attacks against about 50 important websites in Viet Nam" on their fan page last Wednesday. Websites belonging to Dai Nam University and Binh Duong Province's department of construction were on the list. The group later apologised for the attacks, possibly because the match between the Viet Nam and Malaysian national football teams ended without any violence against traveling Malaysian fans.