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Information Security Summit 2004 Opens Today

Over 150 professionals from the information technology (IT) and business communities attended the first day of the regional Information Security Summit 2004 held in Hong Kong today (11 November 2004) to obtain the latest updates on information security and its related technologies.

Under the theme of “Management Challenges for Effective Information Security Governance”, over twenty speakers from Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, UK and USA shared their insights on the latest developments in information security at the Summit, jointly organized by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), BSI Management Systems, Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Co-ordination Centre (HKCERT), Hong Kong Computer Society - Information Security Specialist Group, Information Systems Audit and Control Association (Hong Kong Chapter) and the Professional Information Security Association.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr K K Yeung, Executive Director of HKPC, said, “Investigations have revealed that virus attacks, hacking, thefts and fraud now originate from all parts of the world. In particular, Internet banking fraud cases, phishing cases and spamming incidents are on the rise, threatening to undermine the confidence of both corporate and individual users who conduct businesses over the Internet.”

“To address these problems, computer emergency response teams co-ordination centers (CERTs) from around the world have joined hands by interlinking with their respective ISPs and local law enforcement agencies to trace the roots of such incidents. Responding to the need for greater international co-operation on information security, the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Co-ordination Centre (HKCERT), established by HKPC in 2001 with Government support, has also strengthened its collaboration with overseas and Mainland organizations,” he said.

According to Mr Yeung, there has been a steady increase in the number of reports received by the HKCERT, reflecting its growing recognition among Hong Kong's Internet users. “In the first 10 months of 2004, both the number of calls received through HKCERT's hotline and the number of visitors to its website exceeded the total number of calls and visitors in the first three years of its operation. Recording over 1.4 million website visitors in the same ten-month period, the HKCERT has now become the first point of reference for Hong Kong's business community when information security incidents arise,” he said.

“Recognizing the importance of this support service to the business community, HKPC will continue to support the operation of the Centre with its own resources when Government funding for HKCERT ends in March 2005,” Mr Yeung added.

Other officiating guests at the ceremony included Mr Alan Wong, JP, Government Chief Information Officer, HKSAR Government and Mr Dale Johnstone, Chairman of the Information Security Summit 2004 Organizing Committee.

Topics addressed during the two-day Summit (11 - 12 November 2004) include organized hi-tech crime, cross-border cyber security, web application spamming and computer hacking, wireless security, managing and securing information infrastructure, developing encryption systems, information security audit and security evaluation techniques.

The Information Security Summit 2004 is sponsored by BSI Management Systems, Juniper Networks, Inc., Microsoft Hong Kong Limited, SurfControl Plc., Symantec Hong Kong Limited and Trend Micro Limited.

For further details on the Information Security Summit 2004, please visit the official website at: www.issummit.org or contact the HKPC at tel. (852) 2788 5669.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms Betty Lee
General Manager
Corporate Communications and Events
Tel: (852) 2788 6202
Fax: (852) 2788 5056
E-mail: annabell@hkpc.org

11 November 2004