Photo: Ministry of State Security

Chinese state security authorities have warned organizations against neglecting antivirus software and virus-database updates, citing cases in which outdated cybersecurity defenses allowed overseas hackers and other attackers to steal sensitive data, compromise work email accounts and remotely control servers.

Endpoint virus scanning is a critical line of defense against cyberattacks, and its effectiveness directly affects the security of information systems. In practice, however, many organizations and individuals fail to update antivirus programs and virus databases in a timely manner, potentially undermining their cybersecurity defenses, China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) said in an article on its WeChat account on Wednesday. 

In recent years, China's state security authorities and other relevant departments have disclosed a number of cases in which outdated antivirus software or expired virus databases contributed to data leaks and security breaches, exposing weaknesses in endpoint security management. 

In one case, a research institute had long neglected vulnerability patching and failed to update its virus database promptly. Overseas hackers exploited these weaknesses to breach its server and install Trojan malware, resulting in the theft and illegal sale of large amounts of important data.

In another case, an institution failed to strictly implement regular virus scans on office computers, leaving its work email account vulnerable to a cyberattack by what authorities described as overseas anti-China hostile forces.

In a third case, a company failed to implement required cybersecurity protections for its business systems. Its public-facing server operated with virtually no protection, while its antivirus software had not been updated for a long period. Criminals exploited the weakness to install malware and remotely control the host.

Authorities attributed delayed antivirus and virus-database updates mainly to insufficient awareness of cybersecurity risks, weak attention to routine network maintenance, and inadequate management mechanisms. Some employees mistakenly assume that simply installing antivirus software is sufficient, while some organizations prioritize hardware procurement and system deployment over routine maintenance. In other cases, unclear responsibilities and the absence of unified standards or regular inspections mean that updates depend largely on individual initiative.

China's Cybersecurity Law requires network operators to adopt technical measures to guard against computer viruses, cyberattacks, network intrusions and other threats to cybersecurity. Organizations should fulfill their primary responsibility for cybersecurity and strengthen basic protections.

As technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data continue to develop, cybersecurity defenses are also evolving. Relevant organizations are advised to strengthen basic safeguards while introducing technologies such as automated risk alerts and intelligent behavioral analysis to build multilayered and comprehensive security-defense systems, according to the MSS article. 

Global Times