By Kevin Wong, Country Manager, Fortinet Malaysia
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become both an engine for progress and a tool increasingly misused by
cybercriminals. In Malaysia’s fast-growing digital economy, the same technologies driving innovation
across sectors are also being exploited to target governments, organisations, and individuals at scale.
The Home Ministry has also reported that financial losses from online scams reached RM1.12 billion
in the first half of 2025, fuelled by increasingly sophisticated psychological manipulation and social-
engineering tactics.
This surge mirrors a broader global trend. AI is reshaping cybersecurity on both sides of the equation
— strengthening defences while simultaneously lowering the barrier for cybercrime. Some see AI as
a cure-all, while others fear it could undermine the systems we depend on. The reality lies
somewhere in between. To safeguard Malaysia’s digital future, it is essential to separate hype from
fact and understand how AI is changing cybercrime today.
AI Myths vs. Realities in Cybercrime
A common misconception is that AI primarily benefits defenders. In practice, cybercriminals are just
as eager to exploit it. Rather than inventing entirely new attack methods, they are using AI to refine
familiar techniques such as phishing, malware, fraud, and impersonation, making them faster, more
convincing, and harder to detect. Criminals are increasingly treating AI as a force multiplier, using it
to generate polished phishing messages, clone voices and faces for impersonation scams, and
automate reconnaissance. Many of these capabilities are now available through underground “AI-as-
a-Service” offerings, including deepfake tools and customised social-engineering scripts in local
languages.
Malaysia has already felt the impact. Since January 2022, the Malaysian Communications and
Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has taken down more than 2,300 deepfake materials and nearly
47,000 pieces of false online content. As of mid-October, this year, over 77% of deepfake takedown
requests and 85% of false-content requests submitted by MCMC had been successfully removed,
underscoring both the scale of the problem and the challenge of keeping pace.
How AI Is Redefining Cyber Defence
Traditional cybersecurity approaches, such as blacklists and signature-based detection, are struggling
to keep up. These methods rely on recognising known patterns, but AI-generated threats evolve too
quickly, often changing form before defences can adapt. By the time a threat is catalogued, the
attack has already moved on.
To counter this, organisations are increasingly turning to adaptive, AI-driven security models that can
identify and block threats in real time, including malicious websites and phishing infrastructure the
moment they appear, rather than after damage is done.
However, technology alone is not enough. Human error remains one of the most exploited entry
points. Continuous training and realistic simulations play a critical role in helping employees
recognise phishing attempts, impersonation scams, and social-engineering tactics before they
succeed.
The most effective defence combines machine-speed detection with human awareness. Automated
systems can stop threats at scale, while informed users provide an essential final layer of protection,
particularly against attacks designed to exploit trust.
Building Malaysia’s Digital Vigilance
Defending against AI-powered cyber threats is not just a technical challenge; it is a shared
responsibility. As millions of Malaysians rely on digital services for banking, healthcare, education,
and commerce, cybersecurity has become fundamental to public trust and economic resilience.
Building digital vigilance requires coordination at every level. Organisations must adopt modern,
intelligence-driven security approaches; regulators need clear frameworks for responsible AI use;
and the public must remain alert to increasingly convincing scams and impersonation attempts.
International collaboration is equally important, as cyber threats cross borders far faster than
regulations do.
Malaysia has begun taking meaningful steps. Announced during the 2026 National Budget, the
proposed Cyber Crime Bill and RM32 million allocation for cybersecurity signal a renewed focus on
strengthening law-enforcement capabilities, enhancing digital forensics, and improving coordination
through a restructured National Scam Response Centre.
Digital vigilance enables digital freedom. By treating cybersecurity as a cornerstone of national
resilience, Malaysia can protect its digital economy and ensure that innovation continues to deliver
opportunity, not risk.
Related
Click Here For The Original Source.
