That many businesses, units and organisations have been attacked by hackers has happened over the past time. This attack came as some employees used unlicensed software to serve their work. This caused many risks in terms of data security, network security and crisis for businesses.

Using copyrighted products will reduce the risks posed to data privacy and security in businesses. Photo: C.T

Businesses attacked by hackers because of cost savings

At many businesses, the issue of managing settings, setting up copyrighted programmes and applications to support the work is left open or a selection of products floating on the web. This has created many risks in terms of data security and network security, causing businesses to fall into an information technology (IT) crisis.

Mr. Vu Van Dung, the Head of Representative Office of BKAV JSC in Da Nang, said that many businesses are being tracked by one or more spyware without even knowing it. The software will monitor activities, exploit security holes in text files, applications and even transactions, thereby spreading malicious code to gain control over the enterprise network. Objects when taking control often threaten to blackmail or use the computer account information of users and businesses, considering this as an item for online sale.

As a business that has been heavily attacked by hackers because of an image editing programme of unknown origin, the Phat Van Vinh Company Limited understands how it is hard to restore customer data and business documents on the company's internal system for months.

“Just because I want to save nearly VND500,000 per month for the Adobe Photoshop application, my business had to spend more than VND50 million recovering data after the system had been attacked by hackers. After I had turned off the firewall as instructed by the hacker before using the app, the entire network of devices connected to the network suffered a problem, the company’s leader said.

As reported by Mr. Nguyen Ba Thanh Trung, the Director of JDS Trading & Construction Consulting Co., Ltd., his business, as well as many small and medium-sized enterprises across the city, can only manage applications, software, files that are installed on fixed computers, and they cannot manage the personal devices of their employees, so they often have to deal with network security problems. These incidents often take a lot of time, money to restore to the original state, not to mention revealing other business secrets.

Ensure security and privacy by installing copyrighted applications

Mr. Nguyen Ba Thanh Trung said that after the damage caused by a cyber attack, he had to ask employees in the enterprise to minimize the access by personal devices to the internal network to ensure security. In the near future, his business will deploy licensing programmes for necessary applications for work and network security. Along with that, training programmes will be held for employees to prevent information security risks in the enterprise.

According to Mr. Le Trong Thanh, Director of the Central Viet Nam branch of the CMC Telecommunication Infrastructure JSC, businesses need to be more proactive to avoid risks and dangers from using software, programmes and documents, in particular the use of copyrighted software.

“Destroying the copyright structure of a programme usually create conditions for hackers to infiltrate the computer, thereby gaining control and stealing information. Using unlicensed software will create many risks for users and businesses. Currently, businesses and employees can choose to rent software without paying a package like before. Renting software helps businesses create many advantages with low monthly rental costs and information data secured and updated regularly”, analysed Mr. Thanh

Dang Ngoc Hai, the General Secretary of the Da Nang Software Business Association, acknowledged that many businesses and employees are using unreliable software, applications, and supporting text, image, and video editing apps that prevail on websites. This fact resulted in great consequences for businesses’ information security.

Copyrighted software accounts for less than 5% of the total revenue of businesses, but will be able to protect businesses against many incidents and risks of network attacks caused by using unlicensed software.

In addition to setting up and installing copyrighted software, business leaders need to set strict regulations for employees when using the intranet to access and download programmes, applications, documents of unknown origin, thereby contributing to the protection of information security and safety for enterprises.

The representative of the Cybersecurity and Hi-tech Crime Prevention and Control Division of the Da Nang Police Department suggested that employees raise their vigilance against new fraudulent tricks taken by cybercriminals, absolutely do not access unofficial news sites, and avoid installing software or applications from unofficial sources.

In the coming time, the Da Nang police will work with other units and businesses to expand the investigation of malicious code distribution, fraud and appropriation of assets in order to strictly handle them as prescribed by law.

Reporting by CHIEN THANG - Translating by A.THU