AI-driven ransomware surges across Asia Pacific

CrowdStrike's 2025 APJ eCrime Landscape Report reveals a sharp rise in AI-driven ransomware and the growing sophistication of decentralised Chinese-language cybercrime markets across Asia Pacific and Japan, according to Security Brief Australia.

Based on intelligence from over 265 tracked adversary groups, the report shows how artificial intelligence and underground infrastructure are reshaping cyber threats in the region. CrowdStrike's Adam Meyers said AI-enhanced malware allows criminals to launch "high-velocity, high-volume attacks," with groups like KillSec and Funklocker linked to more than 120 ransomware incidents across manufacturing, tech, and finance sectors.

Despite Chinese crackdowns, platforms such as Chang'an, FreeCity, and Huione Guarantee continue to facilitate billions in illicit trade. The report also exposes financial manipulation campaigns targeting Japanese securities accounts and the rise of service-based cybercrime providers like CDNCLOUD and Magical Cat.

CrowdStrike warns that AI-fueled automation, anonymous marketplaces, and the professionalization of cybercrime demand a unified, intelligence-driven defense strategy.