Vulnerable Southeast Asia is a magnet for hackers, reveals study

1 in 3 firms experienced targeted attacks in H1.

Southeast Asian firms face a higher risk of targeted cyber attacks compared to their international counterparts, according to a study by Singtel and FireEye.

In the first half of the year, organizations observed in the region faced a 45% higher risk of facing a targeted cyber attack than the global average. In the prior six-month period, they faced only a 7% higher risk.

Across the region, 29% of observed organizations were targeted with advanced cyber attacks in the first half of 2015.

More than one-third of malware detections associated with advanced persistent threat (APT) groups originated within the entertainment, media and hospitality industries. 

There were least 13 APT groups targeting national government organizations and at least four APT groups targeting regional or state governments around the world.

"The report emphasizes the frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks against all types of industries and enterprises in the region. The risk of attack, faced by regional enterprises, is higher than the global average,” said William Woo, Managing Director, Enterprise Data and Managed Services at Singtel.