Bắc Giang strengthens network information security

BẮC GIANG Director of the Department of Information and Communications of Bắc Giang, Trần Minh Chiêu, said the province will continue to enhance the work of ensuring the safety and security of the network to effectively support the digital transformation efforts in the locality.

As of now, the Department of Information and Communications of Bắc Giang has successfully contracted the services of the Provincial Network Safety and Security Operations Centre (SOC); invested in equipment, software, and monitoring systems to ensure information safety; and secured the information systems and databases of state agencies. Additionally, the department collaborates with the Information Security Department under the Ministry of Information and Communications to assess information safety and label network reliability for the Information Portals of Bắc Giang Province, as well as the portals of its departments, sectors, and localities. 

The Network Safety and Security Operations Centre is responsible for assessing risks, detecting attacks, giving early warnings, promptly preventing and responding to incidents related to information security. VNA/VNS Photo

From now until 2025, the Department of Information and Communications of Bắc Giang will focus on establishing operational procedures for the province’s systems to ensure continuous updates in line with recommendations on information safety and security. It will also assess risks, regularly monitor potential threats, and detect or early warn of any changes or attacks on these systems. Alongside this, there will be an increased emphasis on building a team of cybersecurity experts to promptly monitor, prevent, and coordinate responses to incidents related to network safety, security, and technology-related crimes.

Bắc Giang has implemented monitoring, assessment, protection, and response activities for the province’s information systems based on a four-layer model. This ensures proactive and flexible adaptability while minimising risks and threats to information security in cyberspace. The province is prepared with preventive solutions and responses in case of incidents within its jurisdiction.

Furthermore, Bắc Giang is constructing and developing the Provincial Network Safety and Security Operations Centre (SOC) for the province’s information systems. It is also connecting with the National Government’s network safety and security support, monitoring, and operations system to assess risks, monitor, detect attacks, provide early warnings, and respond promptly to incidents related to information security in the province.

The province is also focusing on building and implementing a system to detect law violations in cyberspace within its jurisdiction. It is directing organisations and businesses that provide digital infrastructure and platforms to enhance information security. The development of a network infrastructure system is prioritised, closely linked to ensuring safety and security in cyberspace.

As of now, the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee and the Director of the Department of Information and Communications of the province have approved the security levels for 45 information systems under the management of the provincial People’s Committee. The provincial police of Bắc Giang provided recommendations to organise a three-level online conference on ensuring network security, safety, and protecting state secrets within the province.

The provincial police have received and verified 13 cases related to high-tech crimes causing damages exceeding VND22 billion. Noteworthy, the police force successfully cracked down a case involving online financial frauds, where perpetrators impersonated bank employees offering online credit with a total amount embezzled of approximately VND30 billion, affecting thousands of victims nationwide.

Additionally, the provincial police identified serious security vulnerabilities on 12 surveillance cameras associated with the access authentication mechanism on the RTSP protocol of the Hanoi-Lang Son Railway Joint Stock Company (and collaborated with the company to rectify the identified vulnerabilities on the surveillance cameras). They also discovered 130 serious security vulnerabilities, specifically Cross Site Scripting (XSS), on the electronic information page of the Bắc Giang Power Company. A formal request was sent to the Bắc Giang Power Company urging them to review and address these security vulnerabilities, as well as any shortcomings or deficiencies in their system management and operation practices. VNS