Akamai Technologies released its latest
The latest State of the Internet (SOTI) report by Akamai reveals alarming trends in ransomware attacks across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, particularly a shift towards more complex extortion tactics. These include a new quadruple extortion method that adds pressure on victims through Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks and threats to third parties.
Ransomware now accounts for over half of all data breaches in APAC, prompting organisations to critically assess and bolster their cyber defences. “Ransomware threats today are not just about encryption anymore,” states Steve Winterfeld, advisory CISO at Akamai. “Attackers are using stolen data, public exposure, and service outages to increase pressure on victims.”
The report identifies key sectors under attack, notably healthcare and legal services, which are increasingly targeted by major ransomware groups such as LockBit, BlackCat/ALPHV, and CL0P.
New entrants like Abyss Locker and Akira are also making headlines, with incidents including a significant breach of 1.5TB of sensitive data from Australia’s Nursing Home Foundation and a US$1.9 million extortion payment from a Singapore law firm following an Akira attack.
A troubling aspect of this evolving landscape is the complexity of compliance across different APAC countries. Fragmented regulations create vulnerabilities that malicious actors exploit.
For instance, non-compliance with Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) can lead to fines up to 10% of annual revenue, while Japan lacks formal financial penalties for non-compliance.
This regulatory inconsistency complicates reporting efforts for multinational enterprises, leaving them exposed to attacks.
To counter these threats, the report underscores the importance of adopting Zero Trust and microsegmentation strategies. A case study highlighted in the report discusses how a regional consulting firm successfully implemented software-defined microsegmentation, minimising its internal attack surface and thwarting lateral movement during an attack.
Reuben Koh, director of security technology and strategy for Asia-Pacific & Japan at Akamai, notes, “APAC’s digital economy is rapidly growing, but security teams are struggling to keep pace with an expanding attack surface.”
He advocates for a reassessment of security postures and encourages organisations to adopt Zero Trust architectures paired with regular recovery drills to enhance resilience against ransomware attacks.
As the ransomware landscape continues to evolve, organisations in APAC must remain vigilant and proactive in strengthening their cybersecurity frameworks to mitigate risks and protect sensitive data.