The above information was just shared by representatives of the Vietnam Cyberspace Emergency Response Center - VNCERT/CC, the Department of Information Security ( Ministry of Information and Communications ) at the "National Cyber Security Incident Response Network Conference 2024" held in Hanoi.

Cyber attacks are threatening the operations of every agency and organization.

With the theme “Enhancing information system resilience when incidents occur”, the conference created a forum for officials and experts from 230 member organizations of the national cyber security incident response network to discuss and share experiences in order to find effective ways for their units. From there, improve the information security incident response capacity for the entire network.

W-information security rescue 1.jpg
Acting Director of the Department of Information Security Tran Quang Hung emphasized the need to come up with practical solutions to improve the capacity of incident response teams at ministries and provinces and minimize incidents caused by security vulnerabilities. Photo: PH

Talking to network members, Acting Director of the Department of Information Security Tran Quang Hung affirmed: We are living in a time when cyber attacks threaten the operations of all agencies, organizations and, more broadly, the entire nation.

The national cyber security strategy, proactively responding to challenges from cyberspace until 2025, with a vision to 2030, clearly defines the viewpoint of "Proactively responding early and from afar to risks, challenges, and activities that harm national sovereignty , interests, and security in cyberspace and national cyber information security".

The representative of the Information Security Department also emphasized: Responding to network information security incidents is a key and urgent activity to help agencies and organizations minimize damage, even when serious incidents occur.

Summarizing the network's activities in 2024, Deputy Director of VNCERT/CC Le Cong Phu said: With the mindset of gradually changing awareness, shifting incident response from passive to proactive, this year, the Department of Information Security continues to promote many activities such as combat drills, hunting for threats inside the system, proactively preventing serious vulnerabilities in important information systems...

W-network information security practice 1.jpg
The 2024 national combat exercise program has mobilized the participation of hundreds of experts from leading organizations and businesses in the field of information security. Illustration photo: Le Anh Dung

In addition to the two international drills and the national drill program, from the beginning of 2024 to November 20, the entire national cyber security incident response network with 38 members organized drills, including 3 ministries and branches; 28 localities and 7 organizations and enterprises. As a result, 240 security vulnerabilities were discovered, a 60% decrease compared to 2023.

The fact that the number of security vulnerabilities discovered in this year's combat drills decreased compared to last year, according to analysis by VNCERT/CC representatives, shows that units and agencies managing the system are more concerned and better implementing measures to prevent information security vulnerabilities in their systems.

IRLab platform reduces incident response coordination time by 6 times

In 2024, the pilot year for assessing the maturity level of incident response teams, the Department of Information Security assessed the response teams of 142 units, accounting for 62% of the total number of members of the national cyber security incident response network.

As a result, in the 5 maturity levels of the incident response team, no unit achieved the 2 high levels of “A - Optimal” and “B - Complete”. Of the 142 units participating in the assessment, 36 units achieved level “C - Basic”, accounting for 25%; 77 units achieved level “D - Initial”, accounting for more than 54%; and 29 units were at level “E - Idea”.

W-security information rescue network 3.jpg
The 10 typical units in the network's activities in 2024 include Center 186 - Cyber ​​Warfare Command; Information Technology Center - Vietnam Social Security; Department of Digital Transformation and Environmental Resources Data Information; 5 Departments of Information and Communications of Thua Thien Hue, Vinh Long, Quang Ninh, Lam Dong, Hai Phong and 2 enterprises MISA , FPT. Photo of the leaders of the Information Security Department presenting certificates of merit to typical units: PH

2024 also recorded positive results from the shift of state management of incident response to the digital environment. For example, the IRLab information security incident coordination and handling support platform has been used by 1,164 units after 2 years of launch; helping to shorten the time for coordinating and handling incidents from 3 days to half a day.

However, the representative of VNCERT/CC also pointed out the limitations of information security incident response activities that need to be overcome in the coming time, namely: Many units have not strictly complied with the implementation of handling warnings from the national coordinating agency; many common security vulnerabilities still exist in the application system but the units have not fixed them; many systems that do not ensure safety are still put into use...

Providing free platform to support information security drills The new information security drill support platform has just been launched by the Ministry of Information and Communications. This is the 5th digital platform on ensuring network information security provided free of charge to agencies, organizations and businesses.