The cybersecurity cell of the Hong Kong Police Force recently launched CyberDefender, which is a new metaverse platform that was designed specifically to educate the public about the many potential dangers that are associated with metaverse and Web3.
According to a statement made on 27th May, the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force went on to release a new metaverse platform in order to prepare the citizens for the challenges that were ahead in the digital age, with a significant focus towards the prevention of technology crime. On the same day it was launched, an event was held on this platform called Exploring the Metaverse, which spanned three virtual venues, in order to discuss the crime prevention strategies within the metaverse.
CyberDefender Launched by Hong Kong Police Force To Prevent Metaverse Crime
During this particular event, the chief inspector of the CSTCB, Ip Cheuk-Yu, went on to emphasize the importance of being cautious in the metaverse. He then urged the attendees to apply the same level of vigilance that they practice when they use the internet, stating that all the crimes in cyberspace could also take place in the metaverse, which includes investment frauds, thefts, unauthorized access to systems, and sexual offenses. He then explained that decentralization could also raise the risk of asset theft. This is where CyberDefender comes into play.
The Hong Kong Police Force has major plans of ramping up the technology crime educational initiatives with CyberDefender and other metaverse platforms, especially for the younger generation, after a major rise in virtual asset crime was reported in Hong Kong during the first quarter of 2023. This did represent a complete and total loss of $570 million, which was a 75% increase when compared with Q1 2022.
