Southeast Asian businesses encountered over 24 million on-device threats in the first half of the year, with the Philippines accounting for nearly 688,000 cases.

The threats, spread via removable drives and encrypted files, reflect growing cybersecurity risks as rapid digitalization in finance and e-commerce expands opportunities for cybercriminals.

Based on the latest report by tech firm Kaspersky, 24,289,901 on-device threats were recorded across the region from January to June, with Vietnam and Indonesia logging the highest numbers at 10.5 million and nearly 8 million, respectively. 

Thailand recorded 2.65 million cases, followed by Malaysia with 1.97 million, while Singapore had the lowest at 501,148.

Digitalization consequences

Kaspersky attributed the high volume of threats to the rapid digitalization of industries, particularly in financial systems and e-commerce, which has expanded opportunities for cybercriminals.

“The lack of awareness of best practices and varying levels of security protection also contributed to businesses facing high numbers of threats and attacks,” said Yeo Siang Tiong, general manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky.

“Protection against attacks coming from removable devices or non-open form files requires robust security solutions capable of treating infected objects and further enhanced with a firewall, anti-rootkit functionality, and control over removable devices. Perform regular computer scans for viruses and malware to prevent spread,” Yeo added.

Kaspersky also outlined key recommendations to help businesses safeguard their systems such as updating systems, backing up data regularly, and avoiding pirated or unverified software. 

Companies are encouraged to audit their supply chains, monitor network activity for unusual behavior, and control user access to minimize risks.

The company also underscored the need for employee cybersecurity training, recommending platforms like the Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform to boost awareness.

Businesses without dedicated IT security teams may consider managed security services like Kaspersky MDR for expert-level detection and response capabilities.