A third of cyber incidents in 2024 are concentrated in Asia-Pacific, which saw a 13% increase in attacks in the same period. This suggests APAC’s growing exposure to cyberthreats, likely due to its critical role in global supply chains and its position as a technology and manufacturing hub.
The 2025 IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index reveals phising emails and credential phishing increases by 84% weekly. The report concludes that phishing has emerged as a shadow infection vector for valid account compromises.
Also, identity-based attacks now account for 30% of total intrusions. The surge in phishing emails distributing infostealer malware and credential phishing fuels this trend, posits the report, and concluding that attackers may be leveraging AI to scale attacks.
Key findings
- Prevalence of cyberattacks:
- APAC represented 34% of all cyberattacks globally, making it the most attacked region in 2024.
- The manufacturing sector was the hardest hit, comprising 40% of all incidents, followed by finance and insurance at 16% and transportation at 11%.
- Ransomware dominance:
- Ransomware remained the most common objective of cyberattacks in APAC, underscoring its profitability for attackers.
- Nearly one in four incidents involved stolen data or credentials, highlighting the critical need for enhanced security measures.
- Vulnerability exploitation:
- The report identified 45% of attacks originating from external remote services and 18% from exploiting known vulnerabilities, indicating significant weaknesses in the region's digital infrastructure.
- Credential theft and phishing:
- There was a 180% increase in phishing emails delivering infostealers in 2024, with attackers leveraging AI to enhance their distribution methods.
- The availability of compromised credentials and methods to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA) has created a lucrative market for cybercriminals.
- Challenges in critical infrastructure:
- Many organisations in critical sectors rely on legacy technology and face slow patching cycles, making them vulnerable to sophisticated attacks.
- The report noted that four of the top ten common vulnerabilities were linked to advanced threat actor groups, including nation-state adversaries.
- Emerging threats:
- The report also highlighted the rise of Linux threats, with over half of Red Hat Enterprise Linux customers failing to patch critical vulnerabilities, leaving them exposed to attacks from active ransomware families.
As organisations continue to digitise and integrate complex systems, the need for proactive cybersecurity measures has never been more critical. Businesses must prioritise modernising their security frameworks to combat these persistent threats effectively.