Cybercriminals using artificial intelligence have started exploiting weak security systems in India, raising serious concerns for the country’s plan to become a 5 trillion dollar economy. This was revealed in the latest Asia Pacific eCrime report by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
The Asia Pacific region accounts for more than half of the global population but only 9 per cent of global ransomware victims. However, this situation is changing quickly with India now recording the highest number of victims in the region. Adam Meyers, who leads counter adversary operations at CrowdStrike, warned that the current low share of attacks should not be mistaken for safety.
“India needs to do cybersecurity well to be a leader in cybersecurity,” Meyers said. He added that companies in India must invest in strong security infrastructure before the threat becomes bigger.
Ransomware groups like FunkLocker and KillSec have shown greater focus on Asia Pacific. India made up 21 per cent of FunkLocker victims and 33 per cent of KillSec victims. CrowdStrike noted that these groups target organisations with weak systems.
From January 2024 to April 2025, 763 victims from the region were listed on ransomware leak sites. Besides India, the most impacted countries were Australia, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore. Financial services, technology and manufacturing were the main sectors under attack.
Meyers said cybercriminals have become more organised and business minded. He reported a sharp jump in voice based phishing attacks, which increased by 442 per cent. India’s large internet population of over 820 million users and heavy digital payments through the Unified Payments Interface make the country a top target.
There are growing concerns about Indian IT companies that manage important systems for global clients. Meyers said there is no proof of a major supply chain attack yet but warned that it may happen soon.
Voice phishing scams continue to trouble Indian citizens, along with frauds like fake lottery calls and false police threats. Hackers are also trading stolen personal data on illegal platforms, including information like bank details and identity records.
Meyers said AI is a “double edged sword” because it can help both attackers and defenders. He expects a surge in zero day vulnerabilities within the next few months as AI makes it cheaper and faster to find security flaws.
Even with advanced technology, he believes skilled professionals will remain essential. “We are not going to be replacing the humans in the loop. We are going to be augmenting the humans in the loop. It is like an Iron Man suit,” he said.
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