Consumers across APAC are highly active online and increasingly aware of digital risks. A recent B2C Pulse Survey by Kaspersky Market Intelligence found that APAC consumers outpace global consumers in online shopping (80% vs 71%), digital finance (72% vs 70%), digital entertainment (70% vs 62%), and digital communication (68% vs 61%), a press release said.
APAC consumers are also more concerned about the use of digital technology for crime than consumers globally (35% vs 32%). Awareness is highest in Thailand (39%), followed by Malaysia (38%), Indonesia (35%), China (34%), India (32%), and Vietnam (31%).
“When 77% of APAC is online and digital wallets accounting for roughly 70% of online payments, cybersecurity is no longer optional. The region expects 2.11 billion mobile subscribers by 2030, which makes protecting personal data and financial transactions critical to sustaining trust in the region’s thriving digital economy,” says Choon Hong Chee, Head of Consumer Channel for APAC at Kaspersky.
As APAC becomes increasingly mobile-first, Kaspersky blocked nearly 30,000 mobile attacks against consumers in the region during Q1 2026. India and Indonesia recorded the highest volumes, with 18,187 and 15,163 incidents respectively. Significant year-on-year increases were also recorded in Taiwan (+373%), Sri Lanka (+132%), Thailand (+127%), Bangladesh (+108%), China (+69%), and the Philippines (+28%).
“The rapid rise in mobile attacks across multiple APAC markets is a reflection of how quickly the region’s digital habits are changing. While the nearly 30,000 mobile threats detected in just the first quarter may appear small against the scale of APAC’s digital population, they could represent only the tip of the iceberg. India and Indonesia recorded the highest volumes, but the sharp year-on-year increases seen in Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Bangladesh show that mobile threats are rapidly expanding beyond the region’s largest digital economies. 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,” adds Choon.
Kaspersky highlights embedded security as an important response, offering solutions such as its Mobile Security SDK, Who Calls SDK, and Safe Web to help organisations protect users from mobile malware, phishing, suspicious calls, and malicious websites.
Learn more about Kaspersky Mobile Security SDK here: https://www.kaspersky.com/mobile-security-sdk.
