Cybercrime is now a dominant threat across Asia and the South Pacific, accounting for more than 30 per cent of all recorded crime in over half of surveyed countries, according to INTERPOL’s latest regional assessment.
The 2025/2026 Asia and South Pacific Cyberthreat Assessment Report points to a sharp escalation in both the scale and sophistication of attacks, driven by rapid digital adoption and increasingly organised criminal networks.
Covering the period from January 2024 to March 2025, the report highlights how expanding use of mobile banking, cloud computing and digital financial services has broadened the attack surface for threat actors.
Phishing remains the most widespread and financially damaging form of cybercrime, with a third of countries reporting more than 10,000 cases. On average, 5.5 in every 1,000 individuals clicked on phishing links each month—roughly double the global rate—underscoring persistent vulnerabilities in user behaviour and enterprise systems.
Ransomware and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks have also surged. The region recorded more than 135,000 ransomware incidents in 2024, targeting sectors including financial services, manufacturing and real estate.
Meanwhile, DDoS attacks rose by 92% year-on-year, reflecting a growing reliance on disruption-based tactics. Data breaches remain prevalent, with system intrusions accounting for approximately 80 per cent of incidents, often involving malware and ransomware.
A notable shift is the increasing use of artificial intelligence by cybercriminals. Discussions around deepfake technologies on regional cybercrime forums surged by 600% within a five-month period in 2024, signalling the rapid industrialisation of AI-enabled fraud and social engineering.
INTERPOL estimates that more than 6.5 billion cyber threats were detected and mitigated across the region in 2024 alone, based on partner data.
Neal Jetton, INTERPOL Cybercrime Director, said the findings reflect a rapidly evolving threat landscape. “Cybercriminals are leveraging artificial intelligence, ransomware-as-a-service models and sophisticated social engineering techniques on an industrial scale,” he said.
"As digital adoption accelerates across the region, strengthening operational cooperation, information sharing and cyber resilience remains essential to protecting communities and critical infrastructure." Neal Jetton
Despite growing awareness, law enforcement agencies continue to face structural and capability challenges. Many jurisdictions report limited access to advanced forensic tools, insufficient specialised training and gaps in technical expertise.
Disparities in cybersecurity maturity persist, with developing economies and small island states particularly exposed due to resource constraints and fragmented enforcement frameworks.
Encouragingly, most countries are stepping up their response. Around two-thirds have adopted AI tools for threat detection, predictive analysis and digital forensics, while others are strengthening legislation and investing in dedicated cybercrime units.
INTERPOL emphasises that a coordinated, cross-sector approach—spanning government, industry and civil society—will be critical to counter increasingly borderless and technologically advanced cyber threats.
