Impacts

In the information age, the use of computers or information systems is applied nearly everywhere in our modern society. It includes critical infrastructures such as power supply systems, fresh water supply systems, public transportation, communications networks, etc, to all kinds of business operations. Criminal damages to these systems create much greater impact than that of conventional criminal attacks.

• General Impacts
• Recent Figures

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General Impacts

• Loss of data and information
• Damage of IT resources
• Time wasting in reading, checking, verifying ( e.g. hoax) and re-setting the system
• Wasting bandwidth
• Unavailability of service
• Unauthorised use or misuse of computer systems
• Loss of customer trust
• Loss of public confidence
• Disruption of Production
• Financial Loss
• Reputation of Companies

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Recent Figures

Table showing the latest figures on
financial losses due to computer crimes in Hong Kong

Type of computer attack	Total financial loss (HK$)
	Year 2000	Year 2001	Year 2002	Year 2003	Year 2004
Hacking	116,000	77,500	206,900	286,000	42,150
Denial of service	0	0	96,500	32,850	126,850
Virus	1,259,650	1,446,500	1,352,483	819,550	684,150
Theft of information	0	0	180,000	83,000	0
Total financial loss	1,375,650	1,524,000 (+10.8%)	1,835,883 (+20.5%)	1,221,400 (-33.5%)	853,150 (-30.1%)
Average Financial Loss per Victimised Company	2,461	3,888 (+58%)	5,632 (+44.9%)	3,116 (-44.7%)	2,617 (-16%)

Source: "Information Security Survey" of Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT)

Click here for figures on financial losses due to computer crimes in Hong Kong in the recent years.