Cyber security will be difficult to maintain next year as hackers use smarter and more sophisticated technology to make attacks, Nguyen Thanh Hung, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, said this week.

This was revealed at the second regional forum on cyber security held by Viet Nam Computer Emergency Response Team (VNCERT), the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Korea Internet and Security Agency.

At the forum, participants discussed regional and global issues on strategies, policies and laws to achieve security by sharing mechanisms for reliable information and effective ways of managing operations.

In his opening speech, deputy minister Hung said no nation could defend against cyber attacks by itself. For example, this year, nearly 200 countries have been hit hard by malware attacks, such as WannaCry and Petya.

The ictnews.vn quoted Lee Miyeon from the South Korean Embassy in Viet Nam as saying that the development of IT was bringing unlimited potential to many areas, but also bringing many challenges and threats.

These threats would be greater as the industrial revolution progressed. Cyber security, including data protection, networking and information systems, will become essential factors to ensure prosperity, she said.

According to Lee Miyeon, due to the characteristics of cyberspace, when attacks occur, it is easy to misidentify sources of the attack or misunderstand the intention and behaviour of the attackers. This could result in increased damage and create distrust among nations, she added. – VNS