Cyber security is becoming an increasingly severe and complex issue in China, demanding better regulation of the Internet industry, Gao Xinmin, deputy director of the Internet Society of China, said at the China Internet Industry Annual Conference on Jan. 11.
“There are increasing attacks on China’s Internet infrastructure as well as the information systems in key industries such as finance, transportation, energy, customs, taxation, and high technology. Financial sector websites have suffered frequent phishing attacks, becoming easy targets for online fraud and privacy theft,” Gao said.
According to a report released earlier by the China Internet Network Information Center, 217 million Chinese netizens, or nearly 45 percent of the country’s total Internet population, experienced virus or Trojan horse attacks in the first half of 2011. Meanwhile, 121 million had the experience of having their accounts hacked or passwords stolen, and 8 percent of Chinese Internet users encountered online scams.
The user account information of several popular Chinese websites was leaked online recently, exposing serious neglect of careful password management.
The Internet Society of China said that it will promote the protection of user account information by enhancing password protection and login authentication and strengthening management of Internet companies.