To take advantage of the rapid development in digital technology, according to the Ministry of Communication and Information, Vietnam needs a national digital transformation strategy to build a digital economy.
The country is facing a lot of cybersecurity challenges. A significant number of attacks are targeted at critical national infrastructures, such as airports and the banking system, in sophisticated forms to steal information. These attacks cause enormous damage, both physical and digital, to organisations, enterprises, and individuals.
Statistics on cybersecurity in Vietnam from IEC show that there were 6,567 attacks on websites and more than 60% of network systems at government agencies and enterprises were infected with malware and ransomware. Over 15,700 software vulnerabilities were detected and over 1.6 million computers experienced data loss.
Additionally, many falsely believe that if the devices they are using were attacked, the effect would be negligent because they contain no important data. However, when hackers gain control of attacked computers, these computers could be utilised for further attacks and become a threat to the national network.
Many organisations and enterprises are willing to spend a lot on technology but spend very little on security solutions to protect data. Even those that already have security plans in place still experience a number of situations they cannot handle. Thereby attackers could bypass firewalls, take control of networked computers, and expand the scope of attack and information collection.
Vietnam has the potential to become a power in cybersecurity. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to create a cybersecurity market. It will require all IT projects to include security components and develop security firms, products, and human resources.
It is also necessary to monitor the country’s cyberspace closely and ensure network security for government agencies and national key infrastructure systems so that they can recover to the pre-attack state.
Some security officials have emphasised the need for an ASEAN cybersecurity information-sharing centre in Vietnam to strengthen international cooperation in related issues.
Only when such measures are taken can the digital transformation in Vietnam become sustainable and ensure that the country develops a strong and robust cybersecurity plan.
The government of Vietnam has been trying to develop digital technologies in both the private and public sectors of the country. In fact, earlier this week, the government announced that a forum will be held to encourage the development of the country’s tech firms.
The announcement was made during a press conference. The Deputy Minister described the forum as an important event to bolster the development of the ecosystem for technology firms to make Vietnam a modern, industrialised country.
He stressed that in the context of the 4th Industrial Revolution, building a community of 100,000 technology enterprises is a breakthrough solution for the Vietnamese economy, helping the nation move towards high-income status by 2045.
The forum is called the National Forum on Developing Vietnam Technology Companies and will be a leading event for IT businesses. It is expected to bring together delegates from the government, ministries, sectors, and localities, as well as domestic and foreign technology experts.
Various issues will be discussed, including how IT firms can help Vietnam escape the middle-income trap, policies, and solutions to develop and connect Vietnamese technology firms.
A display of Vietnamese IT products, which bring high economic efficiency will also be organised during the forum.
