Vietnamese product of Non Standard Security Portal wins a gold medal in APICTA 2006 Award.

Dr Pham Van Sang and Dr Pham The Long are developers of NSSP.

APICTA is an annual award program to examine the quality and result of IT products of countries in the regions and all over the world and language in this award is English. Participants of APICTA 2006 Award are Vietnam, Singapore, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Macau S.A.R, Malaysia, Australia, Brunei and China with 175 products. 

The Asia Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA) is an international Awards Program initiated by Mr. Dato Mahatir Mohamat, former Prime Minister of Malaysia. The first two APICTA Awards were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2001 and 2002 while the third was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2003. The fourth year of the Awards was held in Hong Kong on 8-11 December 2004. The fifth year of the Awards was held in Chiangmai, Thailand from February 16-20 February 2006.  This year's Awards will be held in Macau, China in November 2006. Gold medals are awarded to professional and industrial IT products of following categories Applications & Infrastructure Tools, Communications Applications, Education & Training, E-Government & Services, Financial Applications, General Applications, Healthcare, Industrial Applications, Media & Entertainment, Research & Development, Secondary Student Project, Security, Start-Up Company, Tertiary Student Project, Tourism & Hospitality.

APICTA Award has an important role and is designed to strengthen exchanges, to promote cooperation in developing Information and Communications Technology in Asia Pacific. Its nature of the award is to compete. It is not only a competition among enterprises but also among countries in term of level of technique, science and technology, research, education and application of information, communications and technology. Through it, we can identify the development of information, communications and technology in these member countries. Presently, APICTA Award is the most prestigious award in Asia pacific.

Dr. Pham Van Sang and his partners are answering questions of Macau Television reporter

Vietnamese delegation comprises of representatives from Hanoi city, Ho Chi Minh City and Dongnai province participating with 12 products in 9 categories of Applications & Infrastructure Tools, Education & Training, E-Government & Services, General Applications, Healthcare, Industrial Applications, Media & Entertainment, and Tourism & Hospitality. Follow is the list of Vietnamese products: None Standard Security Portal (NSSP) of the Department of Science and Technology of Dongnai province; Solutions for Total Hospital information system of LINKS Company; Ykhoa.Net Clinic of Medical Software Development Company Co., Ltd; EziRes - Restaurant Management of Viet Nam Youth Intelligence Co.,Ltd; PERP of  PYTHIS Corp; Exam Testing and Lesson Plan 2.0 of  ANH NGOC SOFTWARE INFORMATICS Co.,Ltd; eDocman Solution of CMC Soft Corp; AWB Framework of AZ Solution Joint Stock company; Car driving simulation system of  Software Development & ICT Solution Ltd; CDES - Car Driving Examination System of CadPro JSC; Weather Forecast TV News System of High Performance Computing Center; Hotel Management Infomation System of  Khathi Infomatics Joint Stock Company.

According to the organizer panel and IT expert, the IT and profession level of products participating in this year award is higher than that of previous years.

After two days of hard, just and fair working, the judging panel on the fifth of November decided to award 14 gold medals to the participating countries.

The “Non Standard Security Portal” developed by the Department of Science and Technology of Dongnai province, Vietnam wins a gold medal in the field of security. Non Standard Security Portal (NSSP for short) is the first one in this field to be developed in Vietnam and has more dominant features than that of other technologies being used in Vietnam. NSSP creates a environment to segregate secure LANs from outer systems in term of protocols but it still ensures that data will be normally transmitted between local networks and Internet, and vice versa. Users have powers and rights to figure out plans to construct and configure security policies for their systems. One of the most significant features is that users can get hold of and manage encrypted keys, encryption algorithm and system configuration and management. These keys and algorithm have been tested to pass the national standards in term of quality and managed perfect in line with the regulations of the Government. It has a user-friendly interface so it is easy used to control the security policy of the system.

NSSP has a high level of security safety because it ensures that the communication between the secure LANs and internet has been completely segregated, all communications are carried out in the security port having encrypted keys, and encryption algorithms which are provided by competent agencies. A workstation in public network (unprotected) cannot access into any internal secure LANs (protected). It minimizes attacks into the system and protects the system against unauthorized accesses. In addition, it integrates other add-in tools to enhance its ability to secure and manage system. These tools are:

• SM tool

• Intrusion detect system

• VA tool.

• Tools which is used to evaluate risks basing on network analysis and to assess users’ knowledge about information security basing its information security policies.

To perfect its product, the Department of Science and Technology of Dongnai province, Vietnam launched program to call for security experts, especially good hackers who would like to contribute their intelligence and works to national security industry.

With these advantages, NSSP is suitable for security models to protect local networks of government agencies such as provincial Party Committee, People’s committee, Police office, custom office, bank transaction system, etc.

“The quality of products participating in this year contest is higher than that of previous year. Just one gold medal is awarded to the best product in each category basing on the criteria of technology, creation, quality, potential market and presentation. The participating products are leading products in each country and in the region. 12 Vietnamese products are best products in the country. The Non Standard Security Port developed by the Department of Science and Technology of Dongnai province has passed the same-typed products of Malaysia, Singapore, Pakistan and Thailand to win the gold medal. Information security is the category which requires strict requirements on algorithms, application standards, etc. This means that we have won the highest rank of the ward”, said Dr. Nguyen Quy Son, President of Vietnam APICTA.

The award was concluded with activities to enhance cooperation and friendship among delegates of participating countries held at the meeting hall of Wynn Hotel.

 With the prestige of APICTA award and chances to apply advances of information, communication and technology; to advertise the fame and image of hosting country, many countries want to host next year award. I think that Vietnam should make preparation for hosting this award so as to boost cooperation and exchange and to speed up the development of information, communication and technology in Vietnam in the coming time.

(Translated by THKC)