Protecting users in the digital age

The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) are creating profound changes to the global financial system. Digital transformation and building digital trust are no longer a choice but a necessity for countries that want to promote digital economic growth and enhance competitiveness.

The dialogue session "Digital Trust in the AI ​​Era: Security Starts with the User" at the "Digital Trust in Finance 2026" forum focused on the theme "Building Digital Financial Trust in the AI ​​Era".

From digital transformation of the financial market to building digital trust.

In Vietnam, digital transformation in the finance and banking sector is progressing rapidly, contributing to the promotion of cashless payments, expanding access to financial services, increasing market transparency, opening up many opportunities for breakthrough growth, and supporting macroeconomic management.

However, along with the increasing pace of digitalization, the risks of data insecurity, high-tech fraud, digital financial manipulation, and declining user trust are also becoming increasingly apparent. According to data from the Ministry of Public Security , in 2025, the estimated losses from online fraud in Vietnam will exceed 8 trillion VND. This figure shows that risks in the digital financial environment have become a challenge to user trust and the security of the financial ecosystem.

Speaking at the "Digital Trust in Finance 2026" forum with the theme "Building Digital Trust in Finance in the AI ​​Era," Lieutenant General Pham The Tung, Deputy Minister of Public Security, emphasized that the growth rate of the digital economy, especially in the financial sector, cannot be sustainable without a foundation of trust. Trust in the digital environment is no longer a subjective factor, but has become a prerequisite for transactions to be carried out and financial decisions to be made. If data is the fuel of the digital economy, then trust is the soft infrastructure that determines the operational capacity of the entire financial system...

The banking sector is one of the leading areas in digital transformation in Vietnam. However, the more dependent it becomes on technology, the more new risks the banking industry faces. Some attacks no longer target the banking system itself, but instead exploit the vulnerabilities of users. This situation necessitates an upgrade in risk management thinking, shifting the focus to protecting customers throughout their entire digital journey.

Digital financial security

Previously, the concept of "digital financial security" was primarily understood as protecting technical infrastructure, including servers, payment systems, banking data, operations centers, and network connections. However, users are now becoming the "most vulnerable link" in digital financial security.

Modern forms of financial fraud are becoming increasingly sophisticated: AI-powered voice impersonation of relatives; deepfake accounts of business leaders; creation of fake banking apps; impersonation of police officers or bank employees; sending malicious links; hijacking phones; and manipulating emotions to force money transfers... This makes it increasingly difficult for ordinary people to distinguish between real and fake in the digital environment.

According to Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Pham Tien Dung: In the era of AI, protecting digital financial security cannot stop at firewalls, data encryption, and intrusion prevention. More importantly, it must focus on protecting user perception; protecting digital behavior; and protecting social trust in the digitized financial environment. Customer trust must be built and protected through institutions, technology, risk management, and inter-sectoral coordination.

AI is opening up enormous opportunities, helping to improve operational efficiency, automate processes, personalize services, credit scoring, customer care, detect unusual transactions, prevent fraud, and combat money laundering. Economic sectors and businesses are increasingly using AI to build intelligent defense systems, increase the transparency of AI in finance, and protect personal data as if it were national assets.

Modern AI systems can detect unusual transactions in real time and automatically block suspicious transactions. Some AI systems can even "learn" from previous attacks to upgrade their defense mechanisms. Importantly, AI can help personalize financial security. Each customer will have a unique "digital behavioral fingerprint."

Recognizing the importance of popularizing digital financial literacy, educating people on AI-based fraud detection skills, enhancing security awareness, and building a habit of verifying information among citizens—not just the responsibility of businesses but of the entire society—the State has adopted a policy of widely popularizing "digital literacy for the masses." Many technology companies have worked closely with local communities, providing basic software to disseminate this knowledge to officials and the general public.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thao, General Director of Nocal Science and Technology Joint Stock Company, stated that with a network of 3,321 physical touchpoints in communes and wards, Nocal not only provides tools but also guarantees local trust through its smart product ecosystem. With the motto "Standardization and popularization," these products act as a modern "digital literacy program," contributing to building a digitalized Vietnam from the ground up.

Colonel, Dr. Nguyen Hong Quan, Deputy Director of the Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department (A05) of the Ministry of Public Security, stated: To build digital trust, we must protect users; to protect users, we must protect the entire ecosystem; and to protect the entire ecosystem, we must have a multi-stakeholder linkage mechanism. Therefore, building digital trust in finance is no longer solely the task of the banking-finance or technology sectors, but a strategic requirement for the entire digital economy.

NINH CO

Source: https://nhandan.vn/bao-ve-nguoi-dung-trong-ky-nguyen-so-post966632.html