The forum was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria, the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) and FPT Corporation in both in-person and online formats, with a focus on practical goals: strengthening cooperation, reinforcing institutional and technological capabilities, and opening up new business and investment opportunities.

The event took place amid increasingly serious cybersecurity threats facing Vietnam. More than 13,000 cyberattacks were recorded in the country in 2024 alone, causing losses exceeding US$800 million.

Thousands more attacks targeted information systems of government agencies, organisations and businesses in 2025, with ransomware incidents surging and affecting more than 3,000 enterprises. The attacks have targeted major corporations as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, service providers and connected supply chains.

According to Ha Van Bac, Deputy Director General of the Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention, cyber threats continue to grow in both scale and sophistication. Vietnam had more than 85.6 million internet users as of January 2026, accounting for around 84.2% of the population and ranking 12th globally, a figure that shows  the vast potential of the country’s digital economy while underscoring the rising need for stronger cybersecurity protection.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vu Le Thai Hoang said Vietnam is entering a period of rapid and sustainable development driven by science and technology, with digital transformation and innovation serving as key growth engines.

“Technology is only truly sustainable when built on trust, and trust begins with security,” he said.

The ambassador noted that Austria possesses considerable expertise in the field, with AIT leading major EU cybersecurity networks and working closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on nuclear cybersecurity. Vietnam, meanwhile, offers a dynamic digital economy and strong political commitment, creating a solid foundation for the two countries to move from dialogue to concrete action, he added.

On the Austrian side, Ambassador Philipp Agathonos described cybersecurity as one of the country’s top priorities alongside innovation and technological development. He stressed that a secure digital environment is essential to economic growth and social stability, while praising initiatives such as the International Digital Security Forum (IDSF) and European Union Horizon cooperation programmes as key platforms for broader Austria-Vietnam cooperation.

Dieter Hempel, head of the Austrian Economic Cooperation and Development Agency (AED), said the two sides had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Cybersecurity Association of Vietnam (NCA), laying the groundwork for joint activities such as training programmes, technical exchanges and shared projects.

“Our goal is to bring Austria’s best expertise to partner countries while working directly with specialists to deliver practical results,” he said.

Vietnam is also playing an increasingly active role internationally in this field. The country’s hosting of the signing ceremony for the United Nations convention against cybercrime in Hanoi, also known as the Hanoi Convention, marked an important milestone. Vietnam has also stepped up cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the IAEA to strengthen its capacity to combat cybercrime and other non-traditional security threats.

Austria and Vietnam step up cooperation in UN peacekeeping training

VOV.VN - Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vu Le Thai Hoang held a working session with Tobias Lang, director of the Austrian Centre for Peace in Vienna on April 22, to explore ways to enhance Vietnam – Austria cooperation in this field.