A new report by researchers reveals that cybercriminals are deploying automation and AI to strike faster and more effectively than ever before. For Southeast Asia a region defined by rapid digital adoption and sprawling supply chains the findings highlight urgent vulnerabilities and call for businesses to rethink cybersecurity as a foundation for trust and resilience.
Fragmented Defenses vs. Coordinated Attacks
Report reveals a sharp rise in multi-pronged cyberattacks targeting organisations worldwide, with Southeast Asia among the most at risk. In nearly 70% of incidents, attackers exploited three or more attack vectors simultaneously from web browsers and cloud apps to networks and human behaviour. Notably, 44% of breaches began with browser-based exploits, capitalising on everyday work tools like file-sharing platforms and collaboration apps.
Investigators warn that siloed, disconnected security tools cannot keep up. Attackers fluidly move across fragmented environments, exploiting gaps in visibility. For businesses, the message is clear: integrated, real-time security across cloud, endpoint, identity, and network is now indispensable.
AI-Powered Phishing, AI-Powered Defense
Phishing has re-emerged as the leading access method, responsible for 23% of incidents in 2024. What makes this new wave more dangerous is the infusion of generative AI, enabling attackers to craft near-perfect phishing campaigns that mimic corporate language, workflows, and even individual communication styles.
Experts stress that annual, tick-box security training is no longer enough. Instead, continuous, behaviour-driven education must be paired with automated, AI-powered detection systems capable of spotting anomalies across emails, messaging apps, and user activity. Together, humans and machines must form a “human firewall” that evolves as fast as the threats themselves.
When Trust Becomes the Weak Link
The report underscores an alarming rise in insider-driven breaches, which tripled in 2024. Nation-state groups, particularly from North Korea, infiltrated companies by posing as job seekers using deepfake video tools convincing enough to secure technical roles and insider access.
Traditional models of security fail when attackers appear as authorised users. The solution, lies in zero-trust frameworks enforcing least-privilege access, continuous verification, and constant behavioural monitoring. Trust, the report stresses, cannot be assumed; it must be actively validated.
The Race Against Time
Perhaps the most striking finding is the speed at which cyberattacks now unfold. Data exfiltration, once measured in days, now occurs within hours sometimes less than one. One in four breaches in 2024 involved data theft within just five hours of initial access, with some compressed into a single hour.
Automation and AI have shortened the attacker’s kill chain dramatically. For defenders, the only counter is speed: automation in triage, unified threat visibility, and AI-assisted response systems. Without these, security teams remain perpetually one step behind.
Building Resilience in a Hyperconnected Region
For ASEAN economies, where cloud adoption, cross-border data flows, and complex supply chains converge, the stakes could not be higher. The report calls on leaders to treat cybersecurity not as a technical afterthought but as a strategic discipline tied directly to trust and resilience.
“The most damaging breaches stem from too much complexity, too little visibility, and too much trust,” the report concludes. By embedding security from code to cloud, simplifying operations with automation, and adopting threat-led approaches, Southeast Asia’s enterprises can transform risk into resilience.