National Assembly votes to pass Cyber ​​Security Law

The Law consists of 7 chapters and 43 articles regulating activities to protect national security and ensure social order and safety in cyberspace; and the responsibilities of relevant agencies, organizations and individuals.

Before voting to pass the entire draft law, the National Assembly voted to pass Article 10 - Important information systems on national security and Article 26 - Ensuring information in cyberspace.

Regarding regulations on information security in cyberspace, the Law requires domestic and foreign enterprises when providing services on telecommunications networks, the Internet and value-added services in cyberspace in Vietnam to be responsible for authenticating information when users register for digital accounts; securing user information and accounts; providing user information to the specialized force for cyber security protection under the Ministry of Public Security upon written request to serve the investigation and handling of violations of the law on cyber security.

Domestic and foreign enterprises providing services on telecommunications networks, the Internet and value-added services on cyberspace in Vietnam that collect, exploit, analyze and process data on personal information, data on relationships of service users, and data created by service users in Vietnam must store this data in Vietnam for the period prescribed by the Government. Foreign enterprises specified in this clause must establish branches or representative offices in Vietnam.

8 important information systems on national security

The Law stipulates that an important information system for national security is an information system that, when subject to an incident, intrusion, hijacking, distortion, interruption, suspension, paralysis, attack or sabotage, will seriously violate network security.

Accordingly, 8 information systems are identified as belonging to this type, including: Military, security, diplomatic, and cryptographic information systems;Information systems for storing and processing information classified as State secrets; Information systems for storing and preserving artifacts and documents of special importance; Information systems for preserving materials and substances that are especially dangerous to humans and the ecological environment.

Information systems serving the preservation, manufacture, and management of other particularly important facilities related to national security; Important information systems serving the operations of central agencies and organizations; National information systems in the fields of energy, finance, banking, telecommunications, transportation, environmental resources, chemicals, healthcare, culture, and press; Automatic control and monitoring systems at important works related to national security and important national security targets.

The Law also assigns the Prime Minister to promulgate, amend and supplement the List of important information systems on national security.

“Anyone who violates the provisions of this Law shall, depending on the nature and severity of the violation, be subject to disciplinary action, administrative sanctions or criminal prosecution; if causing damage, compensation must be paid in accordance with the provisions of law” – Article 9 of the Law on Cyber ​​Security clearly states./.