A controversial new cybersecurity decree promising massive salary bonuses was briefly published before state media removed their own coverage.
The Latest: On Aug. 19, the government issued Decree 329, a regulation proposed by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) aimed at professionalizing Việt Nam’s cybersecurity force.
- The decree, which took effect immediately, stipulates that cybersecurity personnel will receive an “additional monthly allowance” worth up to 300% of their base salaries, contingent upon their performance.
- However, shortly after state-affiliated outlets published—including Vietnam Television’s (VTV) Facebook page and the Thư viện Pháp luật (Law Library) legal information website—details of the financial incentives between Aug. 20 and Aug. 22, the reports were abruptly removed.
Decree 329: Under Decree 329, the compensation structure is divided into three distinct tiers:
- Level 1 (100% of salary): Granted to personnel carrying out duties requiring specialized qualifications and expertise.
- Level 2 (200% of salary): Granted to personnel directly providing strategic advice, developing strategic cybersecurity technology projects, or participating in “operations” management and direction during cybersecurity incidents.
- Level 3 (300% of salary): Granted to personnel directly researching cybersecurity technologies, responding to emergencies around the clock, or performing duties that “significantly affect national security, public order, and social safety.”
Compared to the draft circulated for public comment in March, the finalized Decree 329 solidifies provisions to organize the cybersecurity force into three groups.
- The first is a specialized force managed by the MPS and the Ministry of National Defense, tasked with research, policy advice, and coordination of cybersecurity safeguards.
- The second is a permanent force stationed within government ministries, state agencies, and private information system operators, responsible for internal cybersecurity management.
- The third is a reserve force composed of external experts and non-specialized armed forces personnel, who may be mobilized for specific assignments over a defined period.
The Background: Controlling cyberspace has been one of the MPS’ highest priorities in recent years.
- Recently, the ministry has mandated the blocking or removal of numerous social media posts, particularly amid Gen Z-led opposition concerning social issues such as the Làng Vân project and the controversies surrounding former National Assembly deputy Nguyễn Sỹ Cương.
Why It Matters: The government has not publicly disclosed the number of people serving in its cybersecurity force.
- In 2017, Senior Lt. Gen. Nguyễn Trọng Nghĩa, then deputy head of the General Department of Politics of the Việt Nam People’s Army, said Force 47—described as the military’s “core” online combat unit—had more than 10,000 members.
Hoàng Nam wrote this news article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on August 26, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine translated it into English.
