APAC cyber-attacks are being fuelled by AI according to a number of reports issuing warnings for key trends in 2025. 

Technode Global issued a warning in February that businesses across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region were confronting a significant escalation in cyber-attacks driven by artificial intelligence (AI).  

The sophisticated threats – including deepfake scams and AI-enhanced phishing schemes – pose a substantial threat to both financial stability and also business reputation. In order to mitigate these threats, APAC businesses need to look at their cybersecurity measures, ensuring they’re using adaptive proactive protection and instilling a culture of vigilance in the workplace. 

In April, the Logicalis 2025 CIO Report revealed that chief information officers across the Asia Pacific region were facing significant challenges in managing cybersecurity despite increased investment. 

The report, based on a survey of 1,000 global IT leaders including more than 300 from Asia Pacific (APAC), found that 53 per cent of APAC CIOs considered their organisation’s security patch systems too complex to manage effectively. 

And, according to Check Point’s February Threat Intelligence data, organisations in APAC faced an average of 2,915 attacks per week over the previous six months.  

Key trends in APAC: 

• 52% of malicious files were delivered via web-based attacks, highlighting a sharp rise in phishing scams; 
• Ransomware attacks in APAC reached 6.3% of all cyber incidents, compared to 4% globally, marking an alarming increase. 

Most targeted sectors: 

• Education & Research – 7,372 weekly attacks per organisation (vs. 4,127 globally); 
• Healthcare – 5,225 weekly attacks per organisation (vs. 2,441 globally); 
• Government/Military – 4,834 weekly attacks per organisation (vs. 2,593 globally). 

AI cyberthreat growing 

The proliferation of generative AI tools is already being used to impersonate, clone and deceive people and systems.  

In January this year, the USA’s National Security Agency issued an introductory guidance on Content Credentials, which is endorsed by UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and other international cyber security partners.   

The widespread availability of AI and machine learning tools, including generative models and deepfake technologies, makes it possible for anyone to convincingly create and/or modify media with minimal effort, low cost, and increased realism. 

Some of these threats were described in the previous joint cybersecurity information sheet (CSI): Contextualizing Deepfake Threats to Organizations. 

DragonForce, a platform that gives criminals the tools to carry out ransomware attacks, is just one of a number of Dark Web options offering up ransomware-as-a-service. 

As AI-driven cyberthreats escalate, organisations require security solutions that can protect against a rapidly advancing network of evolving attack techniques. 

CIOs must face the challenge 

The Logicalis 2025 CIO Report also found that, despite increased security spending, nearly all CIOs see the need for ongoing enhancements to their security coverage.  

Only 63% expressed complete confidence in their ability to identify potential security gaps.  

The findings also suggest there is a disconnect between awareness of cybersecurity risks and the capabilities required to address them effectively. 

The report highlighted that AI-driven attacks now occur as frequently as phishing attempts, placing artificial intelligence-based threats among the top three cybersecurity concerns for APAC CIOs.  

Lee Chong-Win, CEO, Logicalis Asia Pacific, said: “With cybersecurity now a board-level issue, CIOs need advanced visibility into their infrastructure security, and the ability to present key security metrics clearly and concisely.” 

APAC businesses should implement the following strategies: 

• Invest in advanced cybersecurity solutions; 
• Use AI for cybersecurity defence; 
• Enhance employee training; 
• Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA); 
• Adopt a zero-trust architecture; 
• Monitor supply chain security; 
• Stay informed about emerging threats. 

Governments and industry bodies in the APAC region are also now recognising there is a need for cybersecurity frameworks which are robust enough to address the challenges AI-driven attacks are creating. 

Collaboration among organisations is also vital to this success. Sharing threat intelligence and best practices will help APAC businesses stay ahead of the cybercriminals. 

Taking part in forums and establishing partnerships with cybersecurity experts will provide practical help and insights aimed at combating these new AI-driven threats. 

Veracity Trust Network is a cybersecurity expert 

Veracity’s Web Threat Protection can stop criminals gaining access to your vital business data.  

Our 14-day assessment reveals both the volume of bot traffic and highlights the effectiveness of our AI-enabled bot-blocking capabilities.  

Unlike traditional approaches, Veracity defends against malicious bots that can mimic human behaviour through the use of Machine Learning.   

Stay ahead of potential threats, safeguard your online assets, and avoid devastating cyber-attacks.  

https://veracitytrustnetwork.com/pricing-enterprise-getintouch 

6th Jun 2025