Cybercrime fighting forces present in all 63 localities: Public security minister

Minister of Public Security Lương Tam Quang fields questions from NA deputies. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI The Ministry of Public Security has mobilised cyber security officers and forces fighting high-tech crimes to take on duties in all 63 provinces and cities, Minister of Public Security Lương Tam Quang told National Assembly (NA) deputies during the question-and-answer session on Thursday.

Quang said they act as the main forces of local police, while other forces managed by the ministry have also improved their skills and means to fight crimes.

Quang was responding to NA deputy Nguyễn Anh Trí’s question about solutions to combat more fierce cybercrimes.

According to Trí, voters believe that the Government needs to organise a bigger, more systematic, and more complete anti-cybercrime force to prevent cybercrimes.

Minister Quang said cybercrimes and crimes using high technology are not only a problem for Việt Nam but a security challenge worldwide.

He said the United Nations has proposed that they compose an International Cybercrime Agreement, which will be drafted soon. The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security will be one of the signatory countries.

“Cybercrimes have three characteristics that make them difficult to detect and handle. They are borderless, with high anonymity and have high technology levels. Almost everything in real life is available online.

“The solution to fight this type of crime must be specific,” he said.

The Ministry of Public Security has implemented various solutions to fight against cybercrimes and high-tech crimes, including promoting the application of citizens’ electronic identification accounts, which are considered a ‘cyberspace identity’ to authenticate identities. This aims to limit fraud and anonymous status, he said.

He said the ministry has applied and connected with the National Population Database to promptly authenticate information, clean bank accounts, eliminate virtual accounts, clean mobile subscriber accounts, and remove junk SIM cards, thereby limiting criminals using high technology, especially fraudsters.

The cyber ​​security and high-tech crime prevention and control force is one of the six forces that must be modernised by 2025, he said.

Fighting cybercrimes and high-tech crimes is the responsibility of the entire political system, including ministries, sectors and localities. He said that if the breakthrough solutions are well implemented, there will be positive changes.

He said the ministry also recommends that people uphold their awareness of self-management, self-defence, and self-resistance to prevent high-tech crimes and property appropriation fraud.

Wrapping up the NA Standing Committee’s question-and-answer session, which lasted for nearly two days, NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn said the session had received 66 questions from the deputies and nine debating opinions.

NA deputies have shown high responsibility by carefully studying the reports, asking concise, clear, focused questions, and going straight to the problems. Government members and heads of sectors answered the questions fully and frankly, explained, clarified many issues, and proposed solutions, he said.

He said the NA Standing Committee recognises and appreciates the high sense of responsibility of Government members and sector heads in answering questions and listening to NA deputies’ opinions.

He requested the Government, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuracy, ministers and heads of sectors to absorb as much as possible the opinions of NA deputies and continue to implement resolutions of the NA Standing Committee on thematic supervision and questioning in a drastic and effective manner.

The NA Chairman assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade to continue to effectively implement approved projects, strategies, master plans to ensure safety, energy security and electricity prices. The ministry must soon have a long-term solution for separate storage of national petroleum reserves.

Mẫn requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to continue to finalise policies and laws on labels and brands of key agricultural products and prevent and combat newly arising poultry diseases in some localities.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been asked to urgently issue documents related to Politburo’s Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW dated January 6, 2017 on developing tourism into a key economic sector.

The Ministry of Home Affairs must complete the arrangement and settlement of regimes and policies for redundant cadres and civil servants. VNS