Hong Kong police tell businesses to tighten cybersecurity as more fall victim to hackers
- Police received 37 reports of cyberattacks on businesses last year, with losses trebling to HK$2.1 million
- Five-month operation revealed numerous instances of safety threats and lapses that hackers could exploit
Note: An investigation into the Consumer Council hack later found that the data of 477 people was stolen.
There were 37 reports of cyberattacks on businesses last year, a 54 per cent rise from 24 cases in 2022. Reported losses trebled to HK$2.1 million (US$268,400) from HK$700,000 in 2022.
During a five-month online trawl between last September and last month, police found and removed more than 210,000 devices with serious internet safety lapses and fraudulent websites. They included the servers and computers of both corporate and individual users.
“Having discovered these safety hazards in our investigation, the force has contacted 80 local internet service providers to rectify the loopholes,” Joe Lau Ngo-chung, chief inspector of the force’s cybersecurity division, told the media at a briefing last Wednesday.
Several statutory bodies and prominent companies were among those that fell victim to hackers last year.
