Consumers in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region are outpacing the rest of the world in digital adoption, but they are also increasingly aware of the cyber threats that come with it.
According to Kaspersky’s recent B2C Pulse Survey—announced during the Kaspersky APAC Cyber Security Weekend in Guangzhou, China—APAC users lead global averages in almost every online category:
- Online Shopping: 80% (APAC) vs. 71% (Global)
- Digital Finance: 72% (APAC) vs. 70% (Global)
- Digital Entertainment: 70% (APAC) vs. 62% (Global)
- Digital Communication: 68% (APAC) vs. 61% (Global)
High Digital Activity Spurs Cybercrime Concerns
With roughly 77% of the APAC population online and digital wallets accounting for nearly 70% of online payments, cybersecurity awareness has become critical.
APAC consumers are more concerned about cybercrime than their global counterparts (35% vs. 32%). Malaysia ranks among the highest in the region for threat concern:
- Thailand: 39%
- Malaysia: 38%
- Indonesia: 35%
- China: 34%
- India: 32%
- Vietnam: 31%
Spike in Regional Mobile Attacks
Kaspersky telemetry detected and blocked nearly 30,000 mobile attacks in APAC during Q1 2026. India and Indonesia recorded the highest attack volumes at 18,187 and 15,163 incidents, respectively. However, several other markets experienced massive year-on-year increases in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025:
- Taiwan: +373%
- Sri Lanka: +132%
- Thailand: +127%
- Bangladesh: +108%
- China: +69%
- Philippines: +28%
“Unlike PCs, mobile phones are often not protected with the same level of security, despite increasingly becoming the gateway to our financial, social and professional lives. As cybercriminals follow this shift, the challenge is ensuring that mobile security evolves at the same pace as adoption.” — Choon Hong Chee, Head of Consumer Channel for APAC at Kaspersky
The Push for Embedded Security Solutions
To combat rising mobile risks, Kaspersky emphasizes integrating security directly into applications rather than relying on users to install separate security tools.
Kaspersky highlighted several SDK and network-level tools aimed at businesses and developers:
- Kaspersky Mobile Security SDK: Enables developers, financial institutions, and retailers to embed anti-phishing, malware detection, secure connectivity, and remote access tool detection directly into their mobile apps.
- Kaspersky Who Calls SDK: Integrates caller ID and reputation checks into apps to help users spot suspicious or unwanted calls.
- Kaspersky Safe Web: An agentless, DNS-filtering solution that allows ISPs to scan traffic and block dangerous links before users land on them.
With APAC projected to reach 2.11 billion mobile subscribers by 2030, embedding security at the application and network level is becoming essential to safeguarding digital transactions.
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