A new report has revealed a significant increase in cybercrime across Asia and the South Pacific, with more than half of the surveyed countries reporting that cybercrime now accounts for 30% of all recorded crimes. The findings are part of the 32-page INTERPOL Asia and South Pacific Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2025-2026, released on June 17, 2026.
The report found that the region recorded more than 135,000 ransomware attacks in 2024, affecting sectors including real estate, manufacturing and financial services. Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks also surged by 92% compared to 2023.
Discussions related to deepfakes on cybercriminal forums and Telegram channels used by Southeast Asian threat groups increased by 600% between February and June 2024. Among the 18 member countries that participated in the survey, 33% reported more than 10,000 phishing cases, making phishing one of the most widespread and financially damaging cyber threats.
The report also revealed that system intrusions accounted for nearly 80% of all data breaches in 2024, while malware and ransomware were involved in 83% and 51% of incidents, respectively. Between January and December 2024, more than 6.5 billion cyber threats were detected and mitigated across the region using data from TrendAI, a private-sector partner working with INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate.
INTERPOL Cybercrime Director Neal Jetton said, “The findings in this report highlight a rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape across Asia and the South Pacific, where cybercriminals are leveraging AI, ransomware-as-a-service models and sophisticated social engineering techniques on an industrial scale.”
He added, “As digital adoption accelerates across the region, strengthening operational cooperation, information sharing and cyber resilience remains essential to protecting communities and critical infrastructure.”
The report also identified major challenges for law enforcement, including limited forensic tools, inadequate specialised cybercrime training and technical resource gaps. While cybersecurity capabilities vary across the region, 66.7% of surveyed countries have already adopted AI-powered tools for predictive analysis, digital forensics and threat detection. Many countries are also strengthening cybercrime laws, digital forensic infrastructure and specialised cybercrime units to counter increasingly sophisticated threats.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream LinkedIn | The Mainstream Facebook | The Mainstream Youtube | The Mainstream Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream is a premier platform delivering the latest updates and informed perspectives across the technology business and cyber landscape. Built on research-driven, thought leadership and original intellectual property, The Mainstream also curates summits & conferences that convene decision makers to explore how technology reshapes industries and leadership. With a growing presence in India and globally across the Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, the USA, the UK and Australia, The Mainstream carries a vision to bring the latest happenings and insights to 8.2 billion people and to place technology at the centre of conversation for leaders navigating the future.