Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

1Hackers attack Vietnamese airports and Vietnam Airlines

Analleged Chinese hacker group carries out several cyberspace attacks on Vietnam’stwo biggest airports, Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat International airports, and theofficial website of the national flag-carrier Vietnam Airlines on July 29.

Thehackers also took control of the speaker system at Noi Bai airport for a fewminutes, during which the speakers broadcast an English-speaking male voicedistorting Vietnam’s claims over the East Sea.

Thehackers claimed to be the 1937CN from China, which is one of the biggest hackergroups in the country.

Theofficial website of Vietnam Airlines, vietnamairlines.com, was hacked by the1937CN group on the same day. The airline customer database was stolen and madepublic on the internet.

2.Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan this year grantedlicences for VNPT, Viettel, MobiFone and Gtel to provide 4G service onbroadband 1,800 MHz.

OnNovember 3, VNPT officially launched its 4G service on Phu Quoc Island in thesouthern coastal province of Kien Giang. This is the first locality in thecountry where VNPT is providing the 4G service.

3.Article 292 of the Penal Code, which stipulates penalties, including prisonsentences, for providing unlicensed online or telecom services, is inimical toIT start-ups.

Atthe second session of the National Assembly, with the authorisation of thePrime Minister, the Ministry of Justice asks to revoke Article 292.

Previously,a petition calling for the scrapping of Article 292 was sent to officials,ministers and agencies and collected nearly 6,000 signatures after only oneweek.

4.The Hanoi Department of Information uncovered a case involving Sam Media, aHong Kong-based company, which cooperated with four Vietnamese carriers tosteal 230 billion VND (10 million USD) from 94,000 mobile users.

Theseusers received advertising messages from Sam Media, which they thought werefree. After the case was uncovered, Sam Media was given a fine of 55 million VND(2,400 USD).

5Cyber attacks on major banks

TheTien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TPBank) is almost cheated out of 1.13million USD by international hackers in May.

Fortunately,the bank detected the suspicious transactions in time and promptly contactedrelevant agencies to stop the hackers.

InAugust, a Vietcombank customer said she discovered that her account hadnotifications of transfer of 500 million VND. At a meeting between the customerand Vietcombank, the bank found that she had browsed a scam website on herphone and the site had stolen her banking information and password.

Thecases indicate that hi-tech criminals are targeting banks and Vietnamese userswho do not have experience in information security.

6.Clamp down on pre-activated SIMs

Fivemobile network providers - including Viettel, VNPT (VinaPhone), MobiFone, GtelMobile and Vietnammobile - sign a commitment on October 28 with the Ministry ofInformation and Communications to intensify the confiscation of pre-activatedSIM cards in order to reduce spam text messages.

Morethan 15 million pre-activated SIMs have been locked and retrieved since.

7.Dialling code changes

Thedialling codes of all cities and provinces will be changed early next year,according to a decision by the Ministry of Information and Communications inNovember. The process will kick off after the Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays, onFebruary 11.

Inthe first phase, the calling codes of Son La, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Dien Bien, YenBai, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Da Nang, Thanh Hoa, NgheAn and Ha Tinh will be changed.

Another23 localities will get new codes on April 15. The final phase will be initiatedon June 17 for the rest of the country.

8.2016 chosen to be National Startup Year

TheGovernment chooses 2016 to be the National Startup Year.

Promotingentrepreneurship based on innovation and building Viet Nam to become a startupnation is the fastest way to develop enterpreneurial forces, especiallyhigh-tech enterprises, creating breakthrough for the development of a digitaleconomy.

9.Cyber-Information Security Law takes effect

TheLaw on Cyber Information Safety takes effect on July 1.

Thelaw comprises eight chapters and 54 articles prescribing the rights andresponsibilities of offices, organisations and individuals in ensuring cyberinformation safety and civilian encryption.

10Three mobile network providers cancel roaming charges

Atthe 9th Summit of the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Development Triangle Area(CLV 9), Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc tasks Viettel with modernising thetelecommunication networks of the three countries with 4G technology.

💜 Healso asks Viettel to support the building of e-Government for the threecountries and deploy phone calls among subscribers in the three countries atdomestic rates, which means cancelling roaming fees for subscribers in Vietnam,Laos and Cambodia./.