INTERPOL Reports Surge in AI-Powered Cybercrime Across Asia-Pacific.

Cybercrime is witnessing a sharp rise across Asia and the South Pacific, with artificial intelligence-powered attacks, ransomware, phishing, and organised cybercriminal networks contributing to an increasingly complex threat landscape across the region.

What this means for organisations.

According to INTERPOL‘s Asia and South Pacific Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2025–2026, more than 50% of the 18 participating countries reported that cybercrime now accounts for over 30% of all crimes recorded nationally. Phishing remained the most widespread and financially damaging cyber threat, with 33% of the surveyed countries reporting more than 10,000 phishing-related cases.

The report also revealed that more than 135,000 ransomware attacks were recorded across the region in 2024, targeting industries including real estate, manufacturing, and financial services. At the same time, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks increased by 92% compared to 2023.

Cybercriminals are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence to enhance the scale and sophistication of their operations. Discussions related to deepfakes on cybercrime forums and Telegram channels popular among Southeast Asian threat actors increased by 600% between February and June 2024, reflecting the growing use of AI-driven techniques in cyber-enabled crimes.

System intrusions accounted for nearly 80% of all reported data breaches during 2024. Malware was involved in 83% of these incidents, while ransomware featured in 51% of the cases. Data shared by TrendAI, a private-sector partner working with INTERPOL‘s Cybercrime Directorate, showed that more than 6.5 billion cyber threats were detected and blocked across the region between January and December 2024.

The report attributes the expanding cyber threat landscape to rapid digitalisation, the adoption of emerging technologies, and increasingly organised criminal networks. Cybercrime Director Neal Jetton warned that criminals are now using AI, ransomware-as-a-service, and social engineering “on an industrial scale,” emphasising the need for stronger operational cooperation, better information sharing, and improved cyber resilience to tackle evolving cyber threats.

Overall, the findings highlight the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the cyber threat landscape and reinforce the need for stronger cybersecurity measures, cross-border collaboration, and greater digital resilience as cybercriminals continue to adopt more advanced technologies.

CXO Junction remains dedicated to providing you with exclusive insights into transformative leadership journeys. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to bring industry news to you.