Government stays vigilant to ransomware attacks

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     With the ransomware WannaCry spreading quickly around the world, the Government will continue to stay vigilant and guard against the ransomware, the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang, said today (May 15). So far, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) has not yet received from government departments any security incident report on the ransomware threat, and all government information systems are operating normally.

     The Government has all along been closely monitoring the trends of cyber attacks and security threats. Within the Government, the OGCIO closely monitors the daily operation of government systems to scan, detect and defend them from any possible malicious attacks. The OGCIO will immediately provide technical support and advice on preventive measures to government departments as warranted, e.g. updating Windows software and strengthening the backup of data, to enhance their resilience capability.

     In the wake of increasing threats of worldwide cyber attacks, the Government Computer Emergency Response Team (GovCERT.HK) has been working with the Asia Pacific Computer Emergency Response Team, and the computer emergency response teams of the Mainland and other governments, to exchange cyber security threat information.

     Mr Yang added that this ransomware attack is not just a cyber security issue but also involves cyber crime. To protect business or personal computers from ransomware threats, the public should back up important data offline and disconnect the backup copy from the computer. They should not browse or download any files from suspicious websites. It is also important not to open any attachments or hyperlinks from suspicious emails or instant messages. The public should regularly check and update anti-malware software and its signatures to the latest versions and apply the latest software patches. The Government will continue to disseminate up-to-date information and reminders regarding cyber security to the public through the InfoSec website (infosec.gov.hk).

     In case of ransomware infections, the public should seek assistance from the Hong Kong Police Force and the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre as soon as possible to join hands in combating ransomware attacks.

Ends/Monday, May 15, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:32

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