In the world of computer hacking, of all nations with a serious problem, China leads the pack with an estimated 41% of attempted hackings originating in Mainland China. These hackings take the form of either malware infected sites or phishing sites that emulate a legitimate business and get users to type in their sensitive information.

The “phishers” then go in and clean out bank accounts, apply for credit or other underhanded motives. Hong Kong has its own share of hackers, and even though it is an island governed by China, it has a different culture and way of life there.

The good news is that according to the bi-annual Microsoft Security Intelligence Report, Hong Kong actually has less than the worldwide average of malware infected computers. The worldwide average is 6.0, while in Hong Kong it is 2.2. The bad news is that what Hong Kong lacks in malware infestations, they more than make up for in phishing sites. The worldwide average is 5.1 out of every 1,000 computers have phishing software installed on them via a clicked link. In Hong Kong, there are 6.23 computers exposed to phishing software. Microsoft Security recommends the use of updated antivirus software.

Recent advances in internet technology led to the creation of the “cloud” where all data is stored in a secure online area. While this keeps a company’s data center mostly free of risk of a security violation, when the company’s customers, whose computers may be infected, access this cloud which leaves their access of the cloud open to penetration by hackers. Some companies are hesitant to use cloud-based storage as much of the security protocols are out of their control. Representatives of Microsoft’s Cloud Security Alliance are there to educate business owners and corporate executives as to the level of security that is in place in cloud-based storage.

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