Hong Kong bans services such as WhatsApp and Google Drive from government computers

HONG KONG – The Hong Kong government is banning most civil servants from using popular apps such as WhatsApp, WeChat and Google Drive on their work computers due to potential security risks.

The latest IT security guidelines from the Digital Policy Office cause many officials to complain about additional inconveniences. Government employees may continue to use the Services via personal devices at work and may receive exceptions to the ban with the approval of a supervisor.

Information technology experts said companies have adopted similar policies due to the increasing risk of data leaks and cybersecurity challenges.

Sun Dong, Minister of Innovation, Technology and Industry, said in a radio broadcast on Tuesday that the ban was necessary because hacking was becoming a more serious problem. He said the governments of the United States and China have also taken strict measures on their internal computer systems.

An official named Lee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to the media, said her office often uses cloud storage services to share large files with providers outside the government.

Francis Fong, honorary president of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, said officials told him the policy was aimed at preventing malware from bypassing its firewall through encrypted messages. He added that it could also address issues related to data breaches.

Anthony Lai, director of VX Research Limited, a cybersecurity firm based in Hong Kong and Britain, said the government’s approach was appropriate given low cybersecurity awareness among some employees and a lack of comprehensive internal monitoring systems.

Earlier this year, data breaches at various government agencies in Hong Kong compromised the personal information of at least tens of thousands of people and raised concerns.