Vietnam posted 1,383 cyber attacks in the first month of 2022, an increase of 10.29 percent from December 2021, according to the Vietnam National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Statistics showed an increasing trend of cyber attack incidents on information systems in Vietnam in the context of agencies and units strongly promoting digital transformation.

Illustrative photo (Source: VNA)

In 2021, the Authority of Information Security recorded, issued warning about, and guided the handling of more than 9,700 attacks on the cyberspace, an increase of 42.42 percent against the previous year.

According to the assessment of the Ministry of Information and Communications, in the first month of 2022, the construction of e-Government continued to be closely linked with ensuring information safety, network security, national security and individual information protection.

Explaining the reasons for an increase in cyber attacks on information systems in Việt Nam, the representative said that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people turned to the internet more for study, work and trade. The pandemic created conditions for attackers to spread fake news and scams, spreading malicious codes and stealing information.

Fraudulently stealing personal information and impersonating financial institutions is the most prominent. The biggest hurdle is that many users still have limited digital and information security skills, so they are easily deceived.

However, in 2021, Việt Nam's cyber information security picture also showed some bright spots. The Ministries of Information and Communications, Public Security, and National Defence coordinated to ensure the safety of important national events such as the 13th National Party Congress, elections to the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels. 

Việt Nam's ranking in Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), assessed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), increased significantly by 25 places compared to the previous year, to 25th out of 194 countries and territories.

In addition, last year, the revenue of cyber information security businesses grew well, representing a 34 per cent year-on-year increase, despite the economic difficulties facing other sectors, and many Vietnamese cybersecurity experts have been honoured internationally. These are positive signals for a safe and healthy Vietnamese cyberspace.

The Ministry of Information and Communications will continue to strengthen the supervision of Việt Nam's cyberspace while promoting warnings on how to prevent attacks.

Last year, attackers took advantage of the COVID-19 epidemic to spread fake news and create more forms of phishing attacks to steal money. The leaking of personal information was also common./.