Indonesia’s Growing Economy and Low Cybersecurity Spending Make it a Prime Target for Hackers

A Prime Target for Hackers: Indonesia’s Alarming Number of Cyberattacks

Jakarta, Indonesia - Indonesia has been hit with an alarming number of cyberattacks in recent months, with an average of 3,300 attacks per week. According to cybersecurity company Check Point, this number far exceeds those faced by other Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia and Singapore.

Indonesia’s Growing Economy and Low Cybersecurity Spending: A Recipe for Disaster

Indonesia’s growing economy and low level of spending on cybersecurity have made it a prime target for hackers, analysts say. The country’s cybersecurity spending as a percentage of GDP is the lowest in Southeast Asia at 0.02%. In contrast, Malaysia and Singapore are leading the region in terms of cybersecurity capacity building, awareness building, international cooperation, developing national cybersecurity policies, and having sector-specific focus.

A Lack of Robust Cybersecurity Policies: Indonesia’s Vulnerabilities

A report by global management consulting firm Kearney found that Indonesia lacks robust cybersecurity policies and has varying levels of cyber readiness. The region’s growing strategic relevance makes it a prime target for cyberattacks, with countries having low levels of cyber resilience and varying levels of cyber readiness.

Check Point’s Telemetry Data Reveals Indonesia as the Hot Spot for Cyberattacks

Check Point’s latest telemetry data shows that Indonesia is the hot spot for cryptomining, botnet, mobile malware, and info stealer attacks in Southeast Asia. The country has been hit by 20% of all attacks involving XMRig, a legitimate open-source cryptomining tool that is increasingly being used for malicious purposes.

Botnet Attacks: A Major Concern

Botnet attacks have also been a major concern, with the Glupteba botnet regaining prominence following a takedown by Google in 2021. According to Check Point, Glupteba features a variety of capabilities including stealing credentials, exploiting router vulnerabilities, and mining cryptocurrency.

Other Types of Cyberattacks: Ramnit Banking Trojan and Info Stealer Malware

Cybercriminals are also using the Ramnit banking Trojan in close to 10% of attacks on Indonesian businesses, while info stealer malware, particularly AgentTesla and Formbook, has accounted for 55% of all info stealer attacks in the Asia-Pacific region in 2022.

Threat Intelligence: Indonesia’s High Targeted Nation

Threat intelligence company Cyble has also called Indonesia one of Southeast Asia’s highest-targeted nations, with over 11 million cyberattacks reported in the first quarter of 2022, a 22% increase from last year.