Businesses in the Philippines faced 1.8 million on-device cyberattacks last year, placing the country third in Southeast Asia, according to a new report from global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.
The report highlighted Indonesia as the hardest hit, logging 16 million cyberthreat incidents, followed by Malaysia with 4 million. Singapore trailed the Philippines with 900,000 cases, ranking fifth in the region.
While companies continue to bolster their online defenses, Kaspersky warned that a quieter but equally alarming danger is growing—attacks via offline methods like USB drives and removable media.
Across Southeast Asia, the firm recorded and blocked almost 50 million local malware attacks on business devices in 2024 alone, reflecting a 15% jump from the previous year. Offline threats typically use trusted physical devices to infiltrate systems without the need for an internet connection.
“Towards the end of 2024, our experts uncovered a concerning case where a secure USB drive, developed by a government agency in Southeast Asia, was compromised,” said Yeo Siang Tiong, Kaspersky’s General Manager for Southeast Asia. Malicious code hidden within the drive’s software allowed sensitive files to be stolen and spread infections to other similar devices, showcasing the sophistication of such threats.
Among ASEAN countries, Singapore recorded the steepest rise in offline attacks with an 88% increase, followed by Malaysia (47%), Vietnam (25%), Thailand (20%), and the Philippines (16%). Indonesia, however, posted a slight decline of 3% compared to the previous year.
Kaspersky’s findings point to a growing need for businesses to rethink their cybersecurity strategies, not just online, but also against threats traveling through seemingly harmless devices.
