Hong Kong records over 21,000 tech crimes in first nine months; AI used in attacks
Hong Kong police reported over 21,000 tech crime cases in the first nine months of 2026, with losses of about HK$3.8 billion. Network threats rose 32 per cent year-on-year, with criminals using artificial intelligence to automate attacks. Authorities urged businesses and individuals to patch vulnera
Hong Kong police recorded more than 21,000 technology crime cases in the first nine months of 2026, a decrease of nearly 12 per cent compared with the same period last year. The total financial losses amounted to about HK$3.8 billion, down approximately 15 per cent year-on-year. However, police said the number of cases and the amount of losses remained at a high level and were a cause for concern.
During the same period, police detected 1.3 million cyber threat intelligence items targeting Hong Kong, an increase of about 32 per cent year-on-year. This equated to an average of 4,650 items of cyber intelligence per day.
Senior Superintendent Lam Cheuk-ho, head of the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau, said that recently criminals have been using artificial intelligence to monitor vulnerabilities in platforms or organisations around the clock. They have also automated some attack steps, making their assaults more efficient.
Police found that many organisations responded slowly to threats and failed to monitor the cybersecurity of third-party suppliers. The force urged enterprises of all sizes and individuals to remain vigilant, patch vulnerabilities promptly, update systems, and step up monitoring of abnormal activities, warning against complacency.
In the first nine months, police worked with multiple organisations and internet service providers to fix more than 44,000 high-risk cybersecurity vulnerabilities and remove over 63,000 online threats. Through intelligence analysis, police discovered that 65 schools were using outdated firewalls, with some equipment exposed to the internet, leaving them vulnerable to hacker intrusion and malware that could turn school servers into part of a botnet. Police proactively contacted the schools and provided technical support.
Earlier, Interpol conducted its first artificial-intelligence-led multinational cyber operation, known as Operation Synergia, with technical support from Hong Kong police. The operation removed or blocked more than 51,000 malicious websites. The second phase, Operation Synergia 2.0, has been launched and will expand participation to 24 jurisdictions.