Digital Policy Office introduces initiatives to promote cybersecurity in second half 2025 (with photos)
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The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, said that with rapid developments in the digital era, cybersecurity threats have grown increasingly severe. The Government is adopting a multipronged strategy to continuously enhance the cybersecurity resilience of Hong Kong. Reviewing the DPO's work on cybersecurity in the first half of the year, Mr Wong stated that in addition to co-ordinating with the HKIRC to launch the Cybersec One Programme to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), schools, and non-governmental organisations in strengthening their cybersecurity protection level, the DPO also worked closely with the CSTCB, the HKCERT and various stakeholders to organise a range of awareness campaigns and cybersecurity drills to raise cybersecurity awareness and response capabilities among government departments and the public. In the second half of the year, the DPO will continue to launch a variety of initiatives, including co-ordinating with the HKCERT to implement the Cybersecurity Service Providers Connect Programme, leading the organising of the second Hong Kong Cybersecurity Attack and Defence Drill, and hosting a series of activities to fully support the annual China Cybersecurity Week. These initiatives will further promote cross-sectoral and cross-regional collaboration, strengthen the local cybersecurity ecosystem, and drive the sustainable development of Hong Kong's digital economy.
At the briefing, the Chief Superintendent of the CSTCB, Mr Lam Cheuk-ho, announced the technology crime figures recorded in the first half of 2025. A total of 16 262 cases were recorded, with financial losses exceeding $3 billion, mainly attributable to substantial losses from online investment fraud, with both figures representing an increase of 0.5 per cent and 14.7 per cent respectively compared to the same period last year. Among these cases, there were only 42 incidents involving destructive hacking, a 22 per cent decrease compared to the same period last year. Mr Lam emphasised that in the face of escalating cybersecurity threats, the Police are intensifying law enforcement while actively strengthening the development of Hong Kong's cybersecurity ecosystem from multiple dimensions through raising public awareness, nurturing professionals and enhanced public-private partnerships to comprehensively solidify the city's cybersecurity defence.
The Chief Executive Officer of the HKIRC, Mr Wilson Wong, shared the latest security scan findings, which revealed that around 65 per cent of websites belonging to SMEs, educational and social welfare organisations are at risk of data leakage, reminding organisations to act proactively by patching vulnerabilities and strengthening cybersecurity measures. He encouraged enterprises and organisations to leverage the services of the Cybersec One Programme, including free website risk assessments, vulnerability identifications, staff training and phishing email drills in order to foster a cybersecurity culture and comprehensively improve defence capabilities.
The Chief Digital Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, Mr Edmond Lai, speaking on behalf of the HKCERT, highlighted findings from the 2024 Hong Kong Enterprise Cyber Security Readiness Index and AI Security Survey, noting that nearly 70 per cent of surveyed businesses had experienced cyberattacks, underscoring the urgent need for companies to continue strengthening cybersecurity measures to confront increasingly complex and frequent threats. He added that the Cybersecurity Service Providers Connect Programme launched by the HKCERT will effectively connect cybersecurity service providers with local enterprises and organisations to help them find suitable solutions. The Programme is now open for applications, and the classified and vetted service providers will be showcased on a dedicated platform.
In conclusion, Mr Tony Wong emphasised the theme of "Cybersecurity for the People, Cybersecurity relies on the People", and maintained that cybersecurity requires the joint efforts of the whole society. Several large-scale major events will take place in Hong Kong in the second half of this year, including the 15th National Games and the Legislative Council general election, etc. These events extensively utilise information technology, and cybersecurity is critical to ensure the smooth execution of the large-scale events. The DPO will continue to partner with all sectors to launch diverse activities and training to continuously enhance Hong Kong's overall capabilities to tackle risks in cybersecurity, and he appealed for media support in jointly disseminating the importance of cybersecurity and the building of a safer and more resilient digital future.
Ends/Thursday, July 31, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:38
Issued at HKT 18:38
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