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The Hong Kong Police Cybersecurity Unit has launched CyberDefender, a new metaverse platform designed to educate the public about the potential dangers associated with Web3 and the metaverse.
According to a May 27 announcement, the Hong Kong Police Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) has unveiled the new CyberDefender metaverse platform to prepare its citizens for the “challenges of the digital age” by focusing on technology crime prevention.
The online event “Exploring the Metaverse” was held on the same day it was launched at three virtual venues to discuss crime prevention strategies in the Metaverse.
During the event, CSTCB Chief Inspector Mr. Ip Cheuk-yu emphasized the importance of being careful in the metaverse, urging participants to exercise the same level of vigilance as when using the Internet. He decreed:
“All crimes in cyberspace can also take place in the metaverse, such as investment fraud, unauthorized access to systems, theft and sex crimes.”
He further explained that decentralization could potentially increase the risk of asset theft.
“The decentralized nature of virtual assets in Web3 may also increase the likelihood that cybercriminals will target end devices, virtual asset wallets, and smart contracts,” he noted.
CyberDefender’s educational initiatives appear to be geared towards the “younger generation” and the statement notes:
The police will continue to organize public education initiatives on various topics through the CyberDefender Metaverse platform, raising awareness among teenagers about the latest advances in information technology, potential pitfalls and the importance of preventing technology-related crimes.
Hong Kong police received 663 virtual asset reports during the first quarter of 2023 with a total loss of $570 million, up 75% from the first quarter of 2022, according to the statement.
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This comes after it was reported on May 22 that Nanjing, the capital of China’s eastern province of Jiangsu, launched the China Technology and Application Innovation Platform to promote metaverse research and development across the country.
The innovaiton platform is led by Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST).