IS professionals are also aware of the community's low level of IS awareness although IS training and education opportunities are widely available in Hong Kong. "Some 59 percent and 69 percent of the respondents viewed that security awareness remains at a low level in business sector and in the community respectively," said Ho. "Over 85 percent of IT professionals think that there is much room for improvement in raising security awareness."

The survey found that over 60 percent of the respondents do not think that Hong Kong has sufficient computer forensics facilities and law to cope with the current growth of computer-related crime. Ho commented that preventive measures on information security were substantially inadequate. "Nearly 80 percent of IS professionals consider current resources allocated by the government insufficient," he said. "Some 66 percent of respondents even think that there is no comprehensive and long-term IS policy in Hong Kong."

To improve the situation, Susanna Chiu, the president of Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) Hong Kong Chapter, urged the government to take an active role in building a safe and secure IT environment for both the local community and overseas investors. "Hong Kong's future success, as a leader in information security, requires a focused and dedicated approach," she said. "We believe the government should be an architect of IS infrastructure so that local critical infrastructure will be better coordinated and managed."

Chiu also called for stepped-up efforts to increase security awareness in the face of increasing phishing scams and security threats. "We think that it is of paramount importance for the government to promote actively the value of information security as the key in achieving Hong Kong's prosperity in the long run," she said, making the crucial link between the HKSAR's economic position and info security. "In particular, the government should be competitive in international involvement to enhance Hong Kong's branding as a leader in the area of information security," said Chiu.

"As professionals in the IS industry, we have an important role to play in lending our expertise and be the opinion leader to the government, business sector and local community to look at security issues and challenges," concluded Chiu.