Information and Cyber Security in the Wider Community

We are committed to making Hong Kong a leading digital and smart city. Information and cyber security are important pillars to support the fast pace with which the needs of our e-government, e-business, e-commerce, e-learning, etc. to develop. We encourage the industry, the academia, professional organisations, and related bodies to conduct research and development to continuously improve their cyber security posture and enhance their cyber resilience capabilities.

Industry Support and Liaison

The Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT, www.hkcert.org) under the Hong Kong Productivity Council is the centralised contact on computer and network security incident reporting and response for local businesses and Internet users in case of security incidents. It gathers and disseminates information on security related issues and provides advice on preventive measures against security threats. On a regular basis, it also organises awareness seminars and promotional activities on information and cyber security related topics.

In 2008, the Government Chief Information Officer (GCIO) reviewed the Computer Emergency Response Centre (CERC) services for Hong Kong with a view to setting the direction and establishing a long-term and sustainable arrangement for the CERC services taking the international and regional developments into consideration.

Report on the Institutional Review of the CERC Services in Hong Kong

The Government Computer Emergency Response Team Hong Kong (GovCERT.HK, www.govcert.gov.hk) has been working closely with HKCERT and the industry to share information on security threats and vulnerabilities through various channels, including websites, newspapers, electronic media, mobile apps, public events and thematic talks for easy reference by local industries and the community.

Public Awareness and Promotion on Information Security

Information security management is an ongoing process and requires the commitment and attention of everyone. We strive to raise public awareness and knowledge about information security and risk of cyber space through various channels and means.

To raise public awareness and promote ethics on information security, OGCIO has set up the InfoSec website (www.infosec.gov.hk) which serves as a one-stop portal to facilitate the public's access to various information security related resources and updates. Information security advice are categorised into different users groups for easy reference.

Besides the InfoSec website, the OGCIO also set up the Cyber Security Information Portal (www.cybersecurity.hk) which provides guidelines and cyber security tool information for the public to conduct health checks on computers, mobile devices and websites. With the information provided by the portal, the public can gain a better understanding of potential security risks in the cyber world and the security measures to guard against cyber attacks. Downloadable materials of cyber security are available at the Resource Centre (www.cybersecurity.hk/en/resources.php).

Apart from the websites, the OGCIO is also actively collaborating with professional organisations and market players in the industry to organise IT security events and seminars to promote the awareness of the public. The OGCIO will continue to promote and coordinate for concerted effort for the ongoing education and promotion events. More information on cyber security-related events can be found at www.cybersecurity.hk/en/events.php.

The OGCIO has teamed up with professional organisations to visit schools and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to deliver information and cyber security talks for students, teachers and parents at schools and the service recipients and staff at NGOs. We discussed about hot topics ranging from protection against common cyber attacks including malware, phishing and ransomware attacks, prudent use of social networks and common security tips to protect computing devices. For information about school visit programme and security talk for NGO, please visit www.cybersecurity.hk/en/school-visit.php.