Highlight and Summary of Hong Kong's Top Four Critical Cybersecurity Priorities (2023 - 2025)
Published on 1st September, 2025
Highlight
Hong Kong's Cybersecurity scene is exploding—total incidents jumped 62% from 7,752 in 2023 to 12,536 in 2024, with phishing alone doubling to a five-year high of 7,811 cases (62% of all incidents). Malware surged 354% (4.8x YoY), and 2025 projections show ~15,000 incidents (15% growth), driven by the new Critical Infrastructure Law (fines up to HK$5M starting Jan 2026).
1. Lock Down Compliance with the New "Critical Infrastructure Law" – Your Business's Legal Shield Against Mega-Fines
Owners most want to know about the Protection of Critical Infrastructures (Computer Systems) Ordinance's impact, including critical infrastructure operator (CIO) standards, annual risk assessments, and 12-hour incident reporting (HKCERT and SFC). Reason: Passed in March 2025, effective 2026; finance and healthcare must prepare immediately, with fines up to HK$5M, affecting 80% of large firms.
2. Smash Phishing & AI "Deepfake" Scams – Stop Hackers from Tricking Your Team into Handing Over the Keys
2024 saw 7,811 phishing incidents (five-year high, up 83%), owners concerned about defending against AI-driven attacks (e.g., fake institutional emails). HKCERT reports 62% incidents as phishing; SMEs with limited budgets want simple tools (e.g., anti-malware updates) and employee training, with projected 2025 global attack costs at $10.5T.
3. Bulletproof Your Supply Chain – Don't Let One Weak Link Sink Your Whole Ship
Hackers target supplier vulnerabilities (Gartner: 45% attacks from third parties in 2025), owners want to know vendor audits, zero trust implementation, and contract clauses. HKCERT highlights supply chain as top risk; manufacturing and finance (50% demand) focus on low-cost SaaS for SMEs.
4. Fortify Against Ransomware & IoT "Smart" Traps – Keep the Lights On When Hackers Flip the Switch
Malware incidents up 354% in 2024 (HKCERT), including Hong Kong hospital attacks; owners concerned about double extortion (data leak threats) and backup strategies. Cisco notes 96% firms fear disruptions; want incident response plans and insurance coverage (PDPO-related costs).
Summary
Severity percentages below are derived from official reports (e.g., HKCERT 2025 Outlook, Police Cybersecurity Report 2024), focusing on % of total incidents or vulnerability exposure % per topic. 2023–2024 are actual; 2025 is projected (Q1-Q3 partial + 15% growth forecast). Use for charts: Bar graph for % trends by year. Phishing dominates (62% in 2024), but ransomware's 354% spike makes it a rising killer. Compliance % reflects facility vulnerabilities (not incidents), as it's regulatory-driven.
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