Cybersecurity a shared challenge for G20 members

Cybersecurity and network development may become a discussion topic at the upcoming G20 Summit, as the threat of online attacks increases worldwide, experts said.

Fang Xingdong, a researcher at ChinaLabs cybersecurity research institute in Beijing, said the summit will be a good opportunity to explore such issues "because the G20 members are all facing similar cyber threats".

ChinaLabs issued a report on G20 members' network development on Thursday, which highlighted terrorism and religious extremism as two of the major problems facing G20 economies.

Other dangers include netizens' information being illegally obtained and privacy leaks, said the report jointly made by Shantou University.

"The prevention of online threats and improvement of associated industries should be taken into consideration and deserves discussion of leaders," Fang said.

In January, another report published by the China Internet Network Information Center said 42.7 percent of netizens reported online security problems last year.

The most serious threats identified by the report were netizens' computers and smartphones being infected by viruses or Trojans, with 24.2 percent affected, followed by users whose online accounts or passwords had been stolen, at 22.9 percent.

"Cybersecurity relates to a country's economic and political safety, which is why it is an important issue that urgently needs to be studied at the summit," said Fan Yuan, president of DBAPPSecurity, a company specializing in providing technical security services.

China has made many attempts to apply the internet to various industries, "so the summit may be a good platform to share our attitudes and learn from others," Fan said.

The ChinaLabs report said that international cooperation is always best as G20 members fight online crimes and solve security problems.

The G20 Summit will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, from Sept 4 to 5.