On September 18, Viettel Cyber Security (VCS), a part of Viettel Group, partnered with IEC Group to convene the CIO CSO Summit 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City. This marks the seventh year of the event, which has become a key platform for discussions on IT and cybersecurity.
The central theme for this year’s summit, “Cybersecurity Strategy – Shaping a Sustainable Future in the AI-Powered Operations Era,” reflects an urgent need to examine the dual nature of artificial intelligence: its potential to enhance operational efficiencies and the accompanying security vulnerabilities it poses.
Nguyen Son Hai, Director of Viettel Cyber Security, underscored the importance of understanding the security implications of AI. As organizations integrate AI technologies, they must also consider the significant risks involved and develop strategies to mitigate them.
The summit aimed to foster a dialogue among experts to tackle pressing questions surrounding the effective use of AI while ensuring safety. Key considerations included how Vietnamese enterprises can adapt and prosper in an increasingly complex cybersecurity environment.
During the event, Dr. Nguyen Duc Hien, Deputy Head of the Central Committee for Policy and Strategy, emphasized the foundational role of cybersecurity in socio-economic development and as a protective barrier for national infrastructure. He pointed out that AI technologies are permeating nearly every industry, necessitating a focused response to emerging threats.
In line with this, Dr. Hien encouraged contributions of practical solutions from both domestic and international experts, complementing policy discussions with real-world applicability.
Current insights from Viettel Cyber Security highlight the escalating threat landscape. Recent data indicate that over 8.5 million user accounts were compromised in Vietnam during the first half of 2025. The country also witnessed nearly 530,000 distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and 191 data breaches, affecting more than 3 billion records — a threefold increase from 2024.
Of particular concern are the AI-driven cyberattacks, which include hyper-personalized phishing scams, deepfake impersonations, and adaptive malware designed to bypass traditional defense mechanisms.
This year’s “Security Bootcamp 2025” also featured an upgraded “SBC Arena,” a competitive training initiative aimed at cultivating the next generation of adept cybersecurity professionals. One of its focal points, the “Cybersecurity Arena,” presents a hands-on approach to equip participants with practical skills for identifying, mitigating, and defending against real-world cyber threats.
In the context of the observed breaches, relevant adversary tactics could encompass initial access methodologies like phishing and exploitation of public-facing applications, as highlighted in the MITRE ATT&CK framework. This framework can be instrumental in discerning the tactics, techniques, and procedures that adversaries might leverage in their cyber operations. The insights gained from these discussions and reports are crucial for business leaders as they navigate the complexities of cybersecurity in an AI-driven landscape.
Anh Phuong
