Hong Kong Enhances Cybersecurity with 9th Inter-departmental Drill Amid Rising Cyber Threats

HKPF and DPO jointly organise 9th Inter-departmental Cyber Security Drill to enhance ability of government departments to counter cyber attacks

The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Government Computer Emergency Response Team Hong Kong (GovCERT.HK) under the Digital Policy Office (DPO) jointly held the 9th Inter-departmental Cyber Security Drill today (May 26) to further enhance the overall defensive capabilities of government departments against cyber attacks.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the drill, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Chow Yat-ming, said that "The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address" announced the introduction of a "Three-tier Prevention Framework" to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts. In this connection, a counter-terrorism segment titled "Counter-Terrorism Information Security Awareness Challenge" and the "Cyber Defence (Defense UK spelling) Tournament", were introduced for the first time this year, aiming to bolster the Government's overall defense capabilities against cyber terrorism threats and enhance personnel's ability to handle cybersecurity incidents.

He pointed out that while the Government promotes digitalisation to improve administrative efficiency, it also faces increasingly severe cybersecurity challenges. All government departments must be well-prepared and strengthen inter-departmental collaboration to further prevent cyber incidents and enhance response capabilities, ensuring that Hong Kong continues to play an important and unique role within the national security framework, contributing to social stability and safeguarding national interests.

Addressing the event, the Assistant Commissioner (Project Governance and Cybersecurity) of the DPO, Ms Candy Chan, said that with the continuous development of the digital economy, cybersecurity has become a critical cornerstone for driving efficient government operations and innovation in public services. She hoped that through this exercise, participants would gain hands-on experience in detecting threats, analysing intrusions, and responding attacks effectively, thereby accumulating valuable practical experience and mastering effective strategies to counter real-world cyber threats.

The drill this year included representatives from 71 bureaux and departments, as well as industry experts from six professional and academic institutions. More than 280 personnel participated, setting new records in both scale and attendance.

The counter-terrorism segment, "Counter-Terrorism Information Security Awareness Challenge" was co-ordinated with the support of the Information Security and Technology Application Working Group. It utilised a highly interactive real-time Q&A platform to raise information security awareness and improve decision-making capabilities in responding to cybersecurity threats among senior management and IT security officers across various bureaux and departments.

In addition, the “Cyber Defence Tournament” was conducted in the form of a “blue teams versus red teams” approach, where participants formed “blue teams” to collectively respond to simulated cyber attacks launched by “red teams” composed of cybersecurity industry experts and academics in a virtual network environment.

This drill also serves as a prelude to the second Hong Kong Cybersecurity Attack and Defence Drill which will be held in October this year. The second drill will be further expanded in scale, encompassing more government departments and public organisations. Through the Inter-departmental Cyber Security Drill, participating departments can strengthen their readiness and enhance their response capabilities, laying a solid foundation for the participation in the Hong Kong Cybersecurity Attack and Defence Drills.

The Government will continue to implement various measures to enhance its cybersecurity capabilities in order to ensure all departments can effectively counter cyber attacks and uphold overall cybersecurity.

HKPF and DPO jointly organise 9th Inter-departmental Cyber Security Drill to enhance ability of government departments to counter cyber attacks Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKPF and DPO jointly organise 9th Inter-departmental Cyber Security Drill to enhance ability of government departments to counter cyber attacks Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKPF and DPO jointly organise 9th Inter-departmental Cyber Security Drill to enhance ability of government departments to counter cyber attacks Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKPF and DPO jointly organise 9th Inter-departmental Cyber Security Drill to enhance ability of government departments to counter cyber attacks Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKPF and DPO jointly organise 9th Inter-departmental Cyber Security Drill to enhance ability of government departments to counter cyber attacks Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKPF and DPO jointly organise 9th Inter-departmental Cyber Security Drill to enhance ability of government departments to counter cyber attacks Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKPF and DPO jointly organise 9th Inter-departmental Cyber Security Drill to enhance ability of government departments to counter cyber attacks Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Owners of three detached houses of Redhill Peninsula fined over $270,000 in total for carrying out unauthorised building works

Owners of three detached houses of Redhill Peninsula pleaded guilty at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts last Thursday (January 8) to carrying out unauthorised building works (UBWs) in contravention of section 14(1) of the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123) , namely, knowingly undertaking building works without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD). They were fined $275,000 in total by the court.

The BD conducted a large-scale operation in September 2023 to inspect houses along the coastal area of Redhill Peninsula. UBWs were found in a number of detached houses, including the aforementioned three houses. The investigation by the BD found that the owners of the three houses had knowingly carried out the UBWs without the prior approval and consent from the BD, including adding structures to the garden, open yard, living room, bedroom, flat roof and the rooftop, thus contravening section 14(1) of the BO. Hence, the BD instigated prosecution action against the owners under section 40(1AA) of the BO in August and September 2024. They were convicted and fined $130,000, $85,000 and $60,000 respectively last Thursday.

"The BD has already instigated prosecution actions against 30 detached houses on Redhill Peninsula. So far, 24 cases have been convicted by the courts for contravening section 14(1) of the BO. Court hearings for the remaining cases are being rolled out," a BD spokesman said today (January 12).

The spokesman said that property owners should consult building professionals before carrying out building works to ensure compliance with the BO.

Pursuant to section 40(1AA) of the BO, any person who knowingly contravenes section 14(1) (i.e. commencement or carrying out any building works without having first obtained approval and consent from the BD) commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $400,000 and imprisonment for two years, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

The Government will submit a bill to the Legislative Council to amend the BO this year, which will include increasing penalties for offences against serious UBWs to enhance deterrence.