Vietnamese users pay special attention to security when using OTT applications

DNHN - But the trend of using OTT applications among Vietnamese people also requires certain conditions, with evidence showing that not all software can succeed in the Vietnamese market.

Security is one of the top priorities for Vietnamese people as the habit of using OTT applications (messaging, calling, entertainment on internet platforms) becomes increasingly popular.  

The development of technology and the internet provides users with more communication methods, in addition to traditional mobile network services like voice calls and SMS. In Vietnam today, users tend to use OTT applications due to the advantage of free charges, in the context where mobile data costs are cheap compared to the general income level. Additionally, the widespread availability of Wi-Fi from private homes to offices, cafes, public places, etc., also helps popularize this habit.

But the trend of using OTT applications among Vietnamese people also requires certain conditions, with evidence showing that not all software can succeed in the Vietnamese market. According to Mr. Hoàng Nam Đức, Sales and Development Director of Rakuten Viber (providing Viber software) in the Vietnamese market, Vietnamese people are very concerned about security issues when choosing to use OTT applications.

“Vietnamese users highly value the security and privacy of the communication platform they choose. This is because of concerns about security issues related to the increasing incidents of cyberattacks in Vietnam,” added Mr. David Tse, Regional Director of Asia Pacific at Rakuten Viber.

According to Mr. Hoàng Nam Đức, in the Vietnamese market, the concern about security when using calling and messaging applications among Vietnamese users is very clear. In fact, up to 54% of Vietnamese users decide to use the Viber OTT application for security and privacy reasons.

Vietnamese users are particularly concerned about data security and privacy. Data from the National Cybersecurity Monitoring Center shows that in the first quarter of 2024 alone, there were up to 32,265 reported cyberattacks.

In that context, the authorities have also raised the issue of managing OTT services to protect Vietnamese users when using cross-border messaging and calling services. This has been concretized in the amended Telecommunications Law passed by the National Assembly at the end of 2023.

One of the new points of the 2023 Telecommunications Law is the inclusion of OTT messaging and calling services such as Zalo, Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram within the scope of the Law. Specifically, Article 21 of the 2023 Telecommunications Law has set out regulations on providing cross-border telecommunications services to users within the territory of Vietnam.

Accordingly, the provision of cross-border telecommunications services to users within the territory of Vietnam must comply with the laws of Vietnam and the international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member.

Foreign organizations providing cross-border telecommunications services, in addition to complying with obligations under international treaties, must also ensure requirements related to national defense, security, and public policy.

Telecommunications businesses participating in commercial agreements with foreign organizations providing cross-border telecommunications services to users within the territory of Vietnam must have technical plans to ensure information security and implement emergency blocking, suspension of telecommunications services as required by competent state agencies.

To enhance the level of security in interactions with users, Rakuten Viber has provided end-to-end encryption solutions for all conversations and personal calls. Viber will not store users' messages on the server, but will still ensure that the connection is always protected by the https protocol, ensuring that the messages exchanged between the client and server are not "hacked," to provide a safe experience for users.

Viber also introduced and provided a secure method for brands to share activation passwords (OTP codes) to the Vietnamese market. This feature is currently being tested with Vietnamese brands. Previously, Rakuten Viber launched the "enhanced security message" feature, which helps verify the recipient's phone number is not associated with fraudulent activities. This feature is especially useful for banks, financial institutions, and companies handling sensitive information.

The Viber messaging application currently has nearly 1.2 billion global users and has been present in Vietnam for about 10 years.

Minh Anh