Late last week, websites at Tân Sơn Nhất airport in HCM City, Rạch Giá Airport in Kiên Giang Province and Tuy Hoà Airport in Phú Yên Province were hacked. — Photo vnexpress.net

HCM CITY — A lack of adequate software is the reason many agencies and airports have become vulnerable to hackers, according to Việt Nam Computer Emergency Response Team (VNCERT).

VNCERT explained that the shortage has caused security vulnerability which is easily taken advantage of by hackers to attack websites.

Although the issue has been highlighted many times by the Ministry of Information and Communications, it has not received enough investment, VNCERT said.

Late last week, websites at Tân Sơn Nhất airport in HCM City, Rạch Giá Airport in Kiên Giang Province and Tuy Hoà Airport in Phú Yên Province were hacked.

Many people were unable to enter these websites to get information.

The Ministry of Public Security’s Department of Cyber Security determined and detected that two suspects born in 2002 were behind the attack on the airport websites from last Wednesday to Friday, the online Vietnamplus newspaper reported on Friday.

Bkav Corporation, a network security provider, said these were not an advanced threat because hackers did not steal or delete any data in the system.

Ngô Tuấn Anh, a senior official from Bkav Corporation, said that after checking, they found that the hackers attacked the websites through security vulnerabilities.

He added that such vulnerabilities are caused by poor checking and the weak skills of computer programmers.

Talking to the Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn) newspaper, Tuấn Anh said, “The current hacks have proven that the network security of the aviation sector has not been good. The sector has not adequately invested in the system.”

This is the first time that the websites of Tuy Hoà and Phú Yên airports have been hacked, but for Tân Sơn Nhất Airport, it was the second time after the first time in July 2016, he said.

A report from Bkav said that 40 per cent of websites in Việt Nam have security vulnerabilities. One out of every 10 websites is easily hacked due to this vulnerability.

Of the websites, Bkav said, many are important ones owned by State’s agencies.

Security vulnerability is the main reason for website hacks, Bkav affirmed.

According to VNCERT, another reason causing security threats is using one infrastructure for many websites without examination.

Having no skillful technicians who can handle emergency problems is also another weakness, VNCERT said.

To ensure website security, Bkav said websites should be examined before operation.

Regular checks are necessary to fix vulnerabilities, Bkav said, adding that training to improve the skills of technicians is also needed. — VNS