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New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Construction sector top target for ICS threats in Southeast Asia: Kaspersky
KUALA LUMPUR: The construction industry in the Southeast Asia (SEA) region is expected to experience robust growth, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2 per cent from 2024 to 2028, according to Kaspersky. The company said the industry is increasingly adopting technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to boost productivity and operational efficiency, though this digital shift also brings heightened cyber risks. In a statement today, Kaspersky's latest data for the first quarter of 2025 indicates a rise in the percentage of industrial control systems (ICS) computers in the SEA region on which malicious objects were blocked, particularly in the construction and manufacturing sectors. It said the construction sector in the region recorded a rate of 32.9 per cent, which is 1.5 times higher than the global average, while the manufacturing sector recorded 23.6 per cent or 1.3 times above the global average. Overall, SEA ranks second globally in terms of the percentage of ICS computers on which malicious objects were blocked, at 29.1 per cent. Kaspersky managing director for Asia Pacific Adrian Hia said that as construction companies adopt digital technologies, they must strike a balance between risks and opportunities. Businesses, he said, must comprehensively mitigate threats while leveraging these technologies to strengthen protection and resilience. "In 2025 and beyond, digital industrial devices may become targets of cyberattacks due to outdated security measures. Remote facilities that rely on inexpensive network equipment are especially prone to exploitation. "Consequently, revising cybersecurity measures for legacy and long-established technologies is more essential than ever," he said. He added that cybersecurity should not be viewed as a cost, but as an investment in business continuity, an insurance policy that protects assets and data while preserving the trust built with customers and partners. To safeguard industrial operations, Kaspersky recommended that businesses conduct regular security assessments of their operational technology systems, identify and resolve cybersecurity issues, and implement continuous vulnerability assessments and triage as the foundation for an effective vulnerability management process. It noted that Malaysia's construction sector is poised for significant growth, with the market estimated at US$41.85 billion in 2025 and projected to rise to US$63.07 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 8.55 per cent.
Malaysian Reserve
3 days ago
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Malaysia suffers over RM7.5m in business email scam losses since 2023
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia recorded over RM7.5 million in losses due to business email compromise (BEC) scams between 2023 and the first half of 2025, according to Kaspersky. In a statement today, the global cybersecurity and digital privacy company reported that Malaysia also recorded 64,778 phishing attempts targeting local companies, averaging more than 5,300 incidents per month in 2024 – the third-highest in Southeast Asia, behind Thailand (247,560) and Indonesia (85,908). 'While BEC attacks may start with phishing to compromise an email account, the follow-up attack takes a different form – it relies heavily on social engineering to bypass technical defences and exploit human trust. 'Cyber criminals often study their targets in advance, craft convincing emails that prompt recipients to transfer funds, send sensitive data or buy gift cards that contain no suspicious links or malware, making them easier to mistake as legitimate instructions from a chief executive officer, vendor or colleague,' it said. Kaspersky also noted that local headlines in recent years have highlighted reported BEC cases that have proven financially devastating, with losses per incident ranging from RM250,000 to RM6.2 million, affecting victims from various sectors, including logistics, manufacturing, and kitchenware. Its managing director for Asia Pacific, Adrian Hia, said the real danger of BEC scams lies in their simplicity – just well-timed emails designed to exploit trust, routine and a moment of human error. 'Cybersecurity today must go beyond detection; it is about anticipation, helping businesses to spot the unusual in what seems normal and helping their stakeholders build cybersecurity habits that hold up under pressure,' he said. To avoid falling victim to BEC scams, Kaspersky advised using strong, unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, investing in security tools with anti-BEC features, training staff to spot social engineering, limiting the public exposure of company hierarchies and key staff contacts, and always verifying suspicious emails through a separate communication channel. — BERNAMA
Techday NZ
01-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Kaspersky study: 71% in Asia Pacific back Cyber Immunity
Kaspersky has reported that 71% of cybersecurity professionals in Asia Pacific consider Cyber Immunity an effective approach for reducing the threat posed by cybercriminals. The findings originate from a study commissioned by Kaspersky, which sought to understand how businesses are preparing for a dynamic cyber environment and to identify evolving themes influencing the future of IT security. The research surveyed 850 cybersecurity professionals across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Russia. A key focus of the study was to gauge respondents' familiarity with the term "Cyber Immunity" and their assessment of its effectiveness against cyber threats. Kaspersky defines Cyber Immunity as a patented concept where IT and operational technology (OT) systems are secure by design, through specific development methodologies and architectural requirements, resulting in inherent resilience to cyberattacks and reducing the need for external cybersecurity solutions. According to Kaspersky's research, 85% of global respondents understand the concept of Cyber Immunity, with familiarity in Asia Pacific standing at a similar 84%. Globally, among those familiar with the term, 73% consider Cyber Immunity to be a highly effective strategy for diminishing the ability of cybercriminals to breach networks and systems. In the Asia Pacific region specifically, when asked about the benefits of Cyber Immunity, 28% of experts believe it could significantly reduce the frequency of cyberattacks. A slightly higher proportion (36%) feel it can limit the negative impacts of such incidents, while 35% think it can accomplish both outcomes simultaneously. These results suggest a growing interest within organisations in the region in shifting from reliance on traditional, vulnerability-sensitive security solutions to systems designed to be secure from inception. Adrian Hia, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Kaspersky, said: "It is encouraging to see that cybersecurity professionals here in Asia Pacific are well-versed with our patented 'Cyber Immunity' concept and see the value it brings to their IT security frameworks. As the region continues its digital drive and integrate emerging technologies like AI, Cyber Immunity essentially becomes an imperative core of cybersecurity strategies that organizations should adopt." In response to this apparent demand, Kaspersky has announced an expansion of its KasperskyOS operating system. Initially developed as a platform for building cyber-immune solutions in industries with stringent protection requirements, KasperskyOS will now serve as a general-purpose secure foundation across sectors making use of modern IT systems. Kaspersky says KasperskyOS is intended not only to address cybersecurity challenges but also to strengthen overall infrastructure resilience. By allowing customers to build solutions directly on a secure platform, Kaspersky aims to provide an evolutionary step in cybersecurity—moving the approach from reactive patching of vulnerabilities to employing systems that are secure by design from inception. Dmitry Lukiyan, Head of the KasperskyOS Business Unit, commented: "We shared these insights with global IT leaders at GITEX 2025. The findings confirm a shift we have long anticipated: organizations are moving beyond reactive tools and demanding systems that are secure by design. With our Cyber Immunity approach to creating secure by design systems, we offer the next step—not just detecting threats, but structurally preventing them. With the expansion of KasperskyOS from embedded use to a general-purpose secure platform, we are helping customers build resilient digital environments that are easier to manage, safer to operate, and ready for tomorrow's challenges." Kaspersky participated at GITEX Asia as the Cyber Immunity partner and held a dedicated Kaspersky Cyber Immunity Conference at the exhibition venue. The event included presentations from industry experts discussing IT and OT convergence, the Cyber Immunity approach, and other cybersecurity themes. Attendees were offered insight into current cybersecurity threats and emerging risks anticipated for 2025.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Kaspersky logged strong double-digit growth in India in 2024: APAC MD
Live Events Global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has recorded a very strong double-digit growth in India in 2024, according to Kaspersky APAC MD Adrian Hia. Speaking at GITEX Asia 2025, Hia said India is a key growth market for Kaspersky, alongside Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam, and China."The company has invested a lot in APAC... in most of the Southeast Asian countries and also in India, we have increased our capabilities by coverage, by support, by in-house researchers, in-house analysts, making sure that we can provide you the best."Last year was a record year for the countries in APAC. Notably, whether it is Hong Kong, whether it is Indonesia, Vietnam, India, China, we actually have very, very strong double-digit growth," Hia highlighted that the company's APAC operations, now in their 25th year, are built on three core pillars: people, partners, and APAC, Kaspersky has cultivated an extensive partner network, currently comprising over 3,000 transacting is redesigning its partner framework, not just to transact, but to ensure partners can deploy, embed, and even white-label its solutions, Hia to Hia, one of Kaspersky's key strengths is its focus on AI."It is impossible for us to be able to do our job well without the capability of artificial intelligence , without the capability of machine learning , without the capability of using machines to do some of the mandate work of what human beings can do," Hia said.
Barnama
24-04-2025
- Business
- Barnama
CYBER IMMUNITY: KASPERSKY'S NEW STRATEGY TO COMBAT CYBER CRIMES
BUSINESS By SINGAPORE, April 23 (Bernama) — Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky is adopting cyber immunity as a new strategic approach to combat cybercrime. Kaspersky's latest research found that 73 per cent of cybersecurity professionals view cyber immunity as an effective strategy to prevent cybercriminals from penetrating networks and compromising systems. Its managing director, Adrian Hia said that this new cyber awareness can help companies to grow without the fear of attacks. 'Companies are converging their operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) systems, yet this can be a challenge in building cyber resilience. 'If we have a way to be immune to malware attacks as well as ransomware attacks, then we do not have to worry so much about cybersecurity anymore,' he said during Kaspersky's press conference at GITEX Asia 2025, here today. The findings from the research include nearly 850 cybersecurity professionals from the Asia Pacific region, the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Russia. Kaspersky stated that cyber immunity is initially defined as a concept of IT and OT systems which are secure by design due to a specific development methodology and architectural requirements. This inherent resilience against cyberattacks minimises the costs associated with external cybersecurity solutions.
