Trend Micro Survey Reveals Less Than 1 In 10 APAC Companies Fully Understand How Cyber Attacks Are Performed

•  Online survey conducted in eight countries across APAC discovers that59 percent of companies attribute “employees’ lack of cyber security knowledge” as the biggest inside threat

• Only 25 percent of companies surveyed are confident that their organizations are fully prepared for cyber attacks

Less than 1 in 10 companies in Asia Pacific (APAC) fully understand how cyber attacks are performed, according to the cybersecurity benchmarking online survey conducted by Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global leader in cyber security solutions.

Based on the survey responses contributed by 300 companies operating in the APAC region, including Singapore, Taiwan, India, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, the lack of cyber security awareness is prevalent among enterprises.

Close to 50 percent of those surveyed indicate that there is no security awareness program in their organizations, as a result, 59 percent attribute “employees’ lack of knowledge” as the biggest insider threat to cyber security, in addition to other threats such as corporate espionage (10%), disgruntled employees/ex-employees (13%), employee theft (6%) and compromised credentials (12%).

The survey also found that only 25 percent of companies are confident that they are fully prepared for cyber attacks, while close to 50 percent anticipate a targeted cyber attack in 2016.

“Cyber threats are real. Furthermore, with the rapid adoption of digitization, cloud and the Internet of Things (IoT), cyber threats are becoming more personal and more complicated. The first and foremost step towards implementing a sound cyber security strategy is for businesses to take control internally of people, systems and processes,” says Dhanya Thakkar, Managing Director and Vice President, Trend Micro, Asia Pacific.

“Humans can be vulnerable, however, the weakness can be turned into the most effective defence line when empowered with the right mindset and knowledge. Companies should enforce rigorous security awareness programs, implement regular real-life security drills and encourage people to constantly upgrade skills in order to be fully prepared in the face of ongoing threats,” he adds.

Dedicated to help businesses improve cyber security awareness, preparedness and efficiency, Trend Micro’s CLOUDSEC 2016 conference themed “Take Control” will see its senior executives and external global security experts sharing their perspectives and insights in guiding businesses to take control

internally of people, systems and processes. The regional conference will visit major Asia Pacific cities, including:

China:                                       August 5

India:                                         August 11

 Philippines:                          August 16

 Singapore:                             August 24

 Taiwan:                                      August 25

 Hong Kong:                            August 26

 Indonesia:                             August 30

 Australia:                               September 1

 Republic of Korea:            September 8