APAC Threat Landscape Report’s CISO Brief

Key Cybersecurity Insights for Security Leaders

• Dark Web Activity Is Driven by Monetization: Selling (55.93%) and sharing (38.44%) dominate, showing a strong focus on distributing and monetizing stolen data.
• Data Leaks Dominate the Threat Landscape: Data and database leaks account for 80.86% of activity, making sensitive information the primary underground asset.
• Access Sales Enable High-Impact Attacks: 13.90% of threats involve access listings, often used as entry points for ransomware and targeted intrusions.
• Ransomware Activity Is Highly Fragmented: Qilin leads at 20.9%, but 68.9% of attacks come from smaller groups, increasing unpredictability.
• Phishing Combines Brand Abuse and Generic Lures: Social media and service impersonation coexist with urgency-based templates like “Account Suspended.”
• HTTPS Increases Phishing Credibility: 61.5% of phishing pages use HTTPS, reducing the effectiveness of traditional trust indicators.

Why This Report Matters for CISOs

APAC’s threat landscape requires a dual approach to defense. Organizations must handle large-scale, opportunistic data exposure in emerging markets while also preparing for targeted ransomware campaigns in more developed economies. The widespread availability of stolen data and access lowers the barrier for attackers, enabling faster and more scalable attacks.

CISOs must prioritize continuous visibility across dark web activity, strengthen identity and access controls, and enhance phishing detection capabilities. By aligning security strategies with real-time threat intelligence, organizations can better anticipate attacker behavior, protect critical assets, and maintain resilience in a highly dynamic regional threat environment.