Hong Kong’s Cyberport hack sends reminder to be alert
- Ransomware attack on city’s tech hub and its delayed reaction to data breach show there is no room for complacency in cyberspace
Cyber hackers know no boundaries. With the internet and technology permeating most aspects of public and private life nowadays, the slightest lapse in security may result in serious consequences.
The news that Hong Kong’s tech hub Cyberport has become the latest victim of a ransomware attack has caused more than just embarrassment. The data that has been leaked and subsequently exposed on the so-called dark web includes sensitive personal information, such as details of staff identity cards, bank account numbers, salaries and credit cards.
The government-owned business park in Pok Fu Lam has come under fire for its decision not to release details of the August 18 attack until last week after the theft came to light on social media. It said there was no evidence of any misuse of personal data at the time and it did not want to cause any “unnecessary concern”.
Officials said they had fought off several recent attacks, and a task force would be set up to review and strengthen security.
Hong Kong’s Cyberport apologises over data theft, vows to improve security
The delay in disclosing last month’s incident underlines the lack of urgency and sensitivity on the part of management. This was also reflected in a suggestion that data was stolen from a shared drive with presumably less protection.
Cyberport directors compared the incident to a break-in, saying the theft may have been unavoidable even if data had been encrypted.
That makes cybersecurity safeguards all the more important. Technology minister Sun Dong has ordered the relevant government office to take necessary steps to avoid a repeat of the incident.
Hopefully, it will convey a heightened sense of urgency across the public sector. It would do well for private companies to review their protection measures as well.
Hong Kong’s overall cybersecurity level is “not bad”, according to the minister. But the recurrence of data theft and leaks, be they the result of systemic flaws or human negligence, shows cyber threats must not be ignored.
In the age of the internet, nothing is too secure for hackers and nowhere is absolutely safe. The Cyberport data breach is yet another reminder that cyberspace requires increased vigilance, not complacency.
