A robust cybersecurity foundation is essential for Vietnam to break through in the digital era

Vietnam is facing a major opportunity to advance in the digital era, but doing so requires a solid cybersecurity foundation to ensure innovation can develop alongside safety, security, and risk management. At the seminar “Security in the AI era – Strategy to shape the future digital” organized by the National Cybersecurity Association (NCA) and Check Point Software Technologies on 7 April, Deputy Governor Pham Tien Dung of the State Bank of Vietnam said artificial intelligence (AI) has been developing rapidly and is increasingly becoming a strategic digital infrastructure for many countries.

AI as a driver of digital development—and a shift in the threat landscape

Deputy Governor Dung noted that AI is not only a driver of economic and social development, but also fundamentally changes how organizations operate and govern themselves. Colonel Nguyen Hong Quan, Deputy Head of the Cybersecurity Department and the High-Tech Crime Prevention and Control Unit (Ministry of Public Security), said AI can shorten the time needed to prepare, deploy, and expand an attack surface.

“This shows that cyberspace is no longer a static environment but has become an ‘active battlefield’ where offensive and defensive activities occur continuously at increasing speed,” Colonel Quan said.

In the financial-banking sector, AI is being studied and applied across a range of activities, including credit scoring, fraud detection, automated processes, and customer support. These applications, according to the seminar remarks, help improve operational efficiency and expand access to financial services.

How AI changes cyberattacks

While AI supports productivity and service expansion, it is also changing the nature of cybersecurity threats. The article highlights that attacks are increasing as criminals use AI to automate, scale up, and enhance the sophistication of attacks, making cybersecurity environments more complex and challenging traditional defense methods.

Colonel Quan added that phishing and deepfake impersonations are becoming harder to detect, while malware continues to evolve to evade defense systems. He also said cybercrime is shifting from isolated actions to professionally organized models with a more systematic, “industrial” feel. With AI support, cybercriminals can shorten preparation and deployment time and expand the scope of attacks, reinforcing the view that cyberspace is a dynamic battlefield where attacks and defenses unfold at ever faster speeds.

Building an AI cybersecurity ecosystem

The seminar emphasized that developing an AI ecosystem requires more than technology. It also calls for coherent governance of data, risk management, and system design from the outset and throughout ongoing operations. Deputy Governor Dung reiterated the need for a strong cybersecurity foundation so innovation can proceed with safety, security, and risk control.

Colonel Quan further stressed the importance of cooperation among government agencies, businesses, and international organizations. He said no single country or organization can address all challenges alone, adding that Vietnam should build a cybersecurity ecosystem that promotes information sharing, strengthens connectivity, and coordinates research and development as well as the deployment of advanced technologies.

Policy and legal direction

The article also notes that Vietnam is refining legal frameworks for cybersecurity and AI, including the Cybersecurity Law and the AI Strategy toward 2030, alongside new management directions. These frameworks emphasize safety, transparency, and accountability across the entire technology life cycle, particularly as AI becomes an important part of the national digital infrastructure.