Southeast Asian firms face high cybersecurity risks from unmanaged devices and email fraud

Recent cybersecurity research highlights significant vulnerabilities within Southeast Asian enterprises regarding device management and email security. A report by Tanium, based on a survey of IT and security professionals across Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, indicates that unsecured devices could cost firms up to US$1 million in financial losses.

The study reveals a gap between perceived and actual security; while 59% of respondents feel confident in tracking devices, 43% admit that over 10% of their devices are unknown, unmanaged, or non-compliant. Furthermore, only 16% of organisations can address critical vulnerabilities across most systems within 24 hours.

Separately, research from Proofpoint shows that only 17% of Fortune Southeast Asia 500 companies have implemented the most stringent levels of email authentication. This lack of robust DMARC implementation leaves stakeholders exposed to email fraud, domain spoofing, and AI-generated phishing campaigns. In Singapore, 58% of organisations identified email as their most common attack vector.