Organizations in Southeast Asia (SEA) continue to face an alarming surge in ransomware attacks in 2024. Latest findings from Kaspersky showed that businesses in the region faced 400 ransomware attempts on a daily basis last year on average.
Ransomware, as the name suggests, is malicious software designed to block access to a computer system or encrypt its data until a sum of money (a ransom) is paid. These attacks have been carried out on both individuals and corporations.
Overall, Kaspersky solutions used in businesses in SEA detected and blocked a total of 135,274 ransomware attacks between January to December last year.
“From just a total of 57,000 ransomware attacks in 2024’s first half, ransomware gangs clearly escalated their attacks during the last six months of last year. With ransomware groups leveraging increasingly sophisticated methods, companies in the region are all feeling the pressure as attackers exploit vulnerabilities in the increasingly complex corporate IT and network infrastructure,” commented Adrian Hia, managing director for Asia Pacific at Kaspersky.
Businesses in Indonesia faced the greatest number of ransomware attacks (57,554) followed by Vietnam (29,282), and the Philippines (21,629).
Another key finding from Kaspersky showed that Malaysia’s ransomware numbers logged a 153% increase on a year-on-year basis, with 12,643 detections last year as compared to just 4,982 back in 2023.
The notable ransomware incidents in the region last year include attacks against a national data center, a postal service provider, a government portal for foreign workers, and the retail sector.
“Ransomware groups persist in refining their tactics, exploiting known vulnerabilities and leveraging advanced tools like Meterpreter and Mimikatz to gain unauthorized access,” added Hia.
“By targeting Internet-facing applications, manipulating local accounts, and evading endpoint defenses, they demonstrate a sophisticated mastery of network weaknesses. The ongoing threat emphasizes the urgent need for robust cybersecurity defenses, as adversaries continue to innovate and exploit even the most familiar vulnerabilities.”
