Hong Kong Police Launches New Metaverse Platform, ‘CyberDefender’

The Hong Kong Police Department’s cybersecurity unit has launched CyberDefender, a new metaverse platform designed to educate the public about the potential dangers of Web3 and the metaverse.

According to a May 27 statement, the Hong Kong Police Department’s Cyber ​​Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) unveiled a new metaverse platform, CyberDefender, in an effort to prepare its citizens for the “challenges ahead in the digital age” with a focus on technology crime prevention.

On the same day as the launch, an online event, “Exploring the Metaverse”, was held across three virtual locations, aiming to discuss crime prevention strategies within the metaverse.

At the event, CSTCB Superintendent Mr. Ip Cheuk-yu emphasized the importance of caution in the metaverse, urging those in attendance to exercise the same level of vigilance as when using the internet. He claimed:

“All crimes in cyberspace can also take place in the metaverse, such as investment fraud, unauthorized access to systems, theft, and sexual offenses.”

He further explained that decentralization could potentially increase the risk of asset theft.

“The decentralized nature of virtual assets in Web3 may also increase the likelihood of cybercriminals targeting endpoint devices, virtual asset wallets, and smart contracts,” he noted.

CyberDefender’s education initiatives appear to be aimed at “the younger generation,” with the statement noting:

The police will continue to organize public educational initiatives on various topics through the “CyberDefender Metaverse” platform, to raise awareness among teenagers about the latest developments in information technology, possible pitfalls and the importance of preventing technological crimes.

According to the statement, the Hong Kong Police Department received 663 reports related to virtual assets in the first quarter of 2023, with a total loss of $570 million – an increase of 75% compared to the first quarter of 2022.

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This comes after it was reported on May 22 that Nanjing, the capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province, has launched the China Metaverse Technology and Application Innovation Platform to promote metaverse research and development across the country.

The innovation platform is led by Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST).

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