Illustrative image (Source: EPA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s leading internet security firm, Bach KhoaInternetwork Security Centre (BKAV), announced that Vietnamese users lost some 12.3trillion VND (540 million USD) in 2017 due to viruses.
The figure released by BKAV on its website recently showed that thisyear’s figure was much higher than last year’s 10.4 trillion VND.
“It is expected that Vietnam would continue to face malware attacks, such asransomware and malware containing crypto-mining tools,” BKAV said.
The results were calculated from BKAV’s network security assessment in December2017.
It said that losses from viruses in Vietnam reached record levels in recentyears. In big economies such as the United States, China, Japan and Germany, itcaused damages of 200 billion USD a year.
The network security in Vietnam in 2017 saw issues of increasing attacks onInternet of Things (IoT) devices, a boom of fake newsand malware containing crypto-mining tools.
Specifically, this year saw a surge in cryptocurrencies worldwide. This haspromoted hackers to strengthen their network attacks on computers to turn theminto crypto-mining tools. There are two popular attacks, including takingadvantage of website flaws and of social networks to spread viruses.
Hackers often choose websites with a high number of users toinstall malware containing crypto-mining tools. When people accessthe websites, the malware is activated. As more than 40 percent of websites inVietnam have flaws, they would be the targets of hackers in spreadingmalware containing crypto-mining tools.
Hackers also spread the virus through social networks. On December 19, malwarebroke out on Facebook in Vietnam.
BKAV’s statistics showed that over 23,000 computers in Vietnam were affectedwith malware. It also showed that the virus would be strengthened throughFacebook, email, an operating system’s flaws or a USB in the time to come.
Ransomware was also another threat to network security in 2017. The WannaCrymalware spread viruses to computers in more than 90 countries within a fewhours. In Vietnam, over 1,900 computers contain WannaCry and some 52 percent ofthe total have flaws, which could be attacked by the virus.
Passwords have been a widely used certification solution. However, Vietnameseusers have not realised their importance.
In recent years, some cases of losing money in bank accounts in Vietnam weredue to users not being cautious while entering their passwords on websites,clicking on strange links or using only one password for different accounts.
These habits should be changed to ensure safety of users, BKAV added.
Its statistics revealed that up to 55 percent of users use only one passwordfor different accounts at many online services.
In addition, IoT connecting devices such as Router Wifi and Camera IP could bethe targets of hackers.
BKAV’s experts forecast that in addition to the spread of malware to createbotnet for cryptocurrency mining, hackers would attack cryptocurrencytransaction floors in 2018. Currently, most of the transaction floors have notbeen guaranteed by government. People joining in such floors are at the risk oflosing money in case of attacks.-VNA
The figure released by BKAV on its website recently showed that thisyear’s figure was much higher than last year’s 10.4 trillion VND.
“It is expected that Vietnam would continue to face malware attacks, such asransomware and malware containing crypto-mining tools,” BKAV said.
The results were calculated from BKAV’s network security assessment in December2017.
It said that losses from viruses in Vietnam reached record levels in recentyears. In big economies such as the United States, China, Japan and Germany, itcaused damages of 200 billion USD a year.
The network security in Vietnam in 2017 saw issues of increasing attacks onInternet of Things (IoT) devices, a boom of fake newsand malware containing crypto-mining tools.
Specifically, this year saw a surge in cryptocurrencies worldwide. This haspromoted hackers to strengthen their network attacks on computers to turn theminto crypto-mining tools. There are two popular attacks, including takingadvantage of website flaws and of social networks to spread viruses.
Hackers often choose websites with a high number of users toinstall malware containing crypto-mining tools. When people accessthe websites, the malware is activated. As more than 40 percent of websites inVietnam have flaws, they would be the targets of hackers in spreadingmalware containing crypto-mining tools.
Hackers also spread the virus through social networks. On December 19, malwarebroke out on Facebook in Vietnam.
BKAV’s statistics showed that over 23,000 computers in Vietnam were affectedwith malware. It also showed that the virus would be strengthened throughFacebook, email, an operating system’s flaws or a USB in the time to come.
Ransomware was also another threat to network security in 2017. The WannaCrymalware spread viruses to computers in more than 90 countries within a fewhours. In Vietnam, over 1,900 computers contain WannaCry and some 52 percent ofthe total have flaws, which could be attacked by the virus.
Passwords have been a widely used certification solution. However, Vietnameseusers have not realised their importance.
In recent years, some cases of losing money in bank accounts in Vietnam weredue to users not being cautious while entering their passwords on websites,clicking on strange links or using only one password for different accounts.
These habits should be changed to ensure safety of users, BKAV added.
Its statistics revealed that up to 55 percent of users use only one passwordfor different accounts at many online services.
In addition, IoT connecting devices such as Router Wifi and Camera IP could bethe targets of hackers.
BKAV’s experts forecast that in addition to the spread of malware to createbotnet for cryptocurrency mining, hackers would attack cryptocurrencytransaction floors in 2018. Currently, most of the transaction floors have notbeen guaranteed by government. People joining in such floors are at the risk oflosing money in case of attacks.-VNA
VNA
