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With an eye towards the digital frontier, the Hong Kong Police Force's cyber security department has embarked on a fresh initiative: CyberDefender, a cutting-edge metaverse platform. This initiative aims to inform the masses about the possible pitfalls lurking in the shadows of Web3 and the burgeoning metaverse.
The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) of the Hong Kong Police Force unveiled this novel metaverse platform on May 27 to prepare the populace for the "impending digital challenges," with a specific emphasis on warding off tech-related crimes. On its inception day, CyberDefender hosted a program named "Exploring the Metaverse" spanning three virtual locations, designed to delve into strategies for evading crime within the metaverse.
During the program, Ip Cheuk-yu, the senior police official of CSTCB, underscored the necessity of adopting a cautious approach in the metaverse. He added, "With the decentralized setup of virtual assets in Web3, the chances of cyber villains aiming at end-user devices, digital wallets, and smart contracts have surged."
In response to a significant upswing in crimes involving virtual assets reported in Hong Kong in the first quarter of 2023, the Hong Kong Police Force intends to scale up its efforts to enlighten the public, specifically the youth, about technology crimes. Shockingly, within the first four months of 2023 alone, 663 crimes involving virtual assets were registered, resulting in a staggering $570 million in losses. This alarming figure showcases a dramatic 75% escalation from the previous year's first quarter.
This development comes to light after a recent announcement on May 22, revealing that Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province in eastern China, had rolled out the China Metaverse Technology and Application Innovation Platform. This groundbreaking initiative, spearheaded by the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, paves the way for metaverse research and development nationwide.
