Report: APAC second most targeted region as attackers exploit basic gaps

Asia-Pacific is the second most targeted region globally for cyberattacks, accounting for 27% of incidents tracked by IBM's X-Force threat intelligence team, according to the 2026 Threat Intelligence Index, Back End News reports.

The report reveals that attackers are exploiting fundamental security weaknesses, with AI tools accelerating their ability to identify vulnerabilities and automate operations. Catherine Lian, IBM ASEAN general manager, emphasized the need for organizations to prioritize identity protection, secure configurations, and visibility across cloud environments. In APAC, malware dominated at 45% of attacker actions, with public-facing application vulnerabilities serving as the initial entry point in 50% of cases. Compromised valid accounts accounted for 30% of breaches, underscoring persistent credential risks.

Manufacturing bore the brunt of attacks at 65%, followed by finance and insurance at 17%. The report also found infostealer malware exposed over 300,000 ChatGPT credentials in 2025, highlighting that AI platforms now face similar threats as enterprise software. Ransomware groups increased 49% year-over-year, while major supply chain compromises nearly quadrupled since 2020.