Kaspersky, a cybersecurity solutions company, has detected and thwarted over 44,000 malware attacks aimed at employees of small businesses (SMB) in Southeast Asia. This marks a staggering 364% increase compared to the approximately 9,500 incidents recorded in 2022.

This data is based on anonymized cyber threat data voluntarily shared by Kaspersky users during the period from January to May 2023.

“To meet the changing needs of their customers, it is essential for this sector to embrace digitalization,” said Yeo Siang Tiong, general manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky. “However, most are skipping the cybersecurity part of it.”

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To assist SMBs in developing their cybersecurity strategies, Kaspersky has identified the most prevalent types of threats that this sector faces:

Exploits

Kaspersky highlights that SMBs are frequently targeted by cybercriminals using exploits to target their security vulnerabilities. Exploits allow malware to infiltrate a victim’s computer without any user action.

Trojans

Trojans infiltrate systems in disguise and subsequently engage in malicious activities. Depending on their objectives, Trojans can perform various actions, including data deletion, blocking, modification, or copying, as well as disrupting computer or network performance.

Backdoors

Backdoors rank among the most perilous types of malware, as they grant cybercriminals remote control over compromised systems. Once installed, backdoors can be directed to send, receive, execute, or delete files, collect sensitive data, log activities, and more.

Not-a-virus

Kaspersky’s solutions classify potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) that may inadvertently be installed on devices as “not-a-virus.” While they are not inherently malicious, they can still be exploited by cybercriminals to cause harm. They often sneak onto devices without the user’s awareness, prompting antivirus alerts due to their annoying or occasionally dangerous behavior.

Yeo highlighted the findings from Kaspersky’s latest cyber-resilience report, revealing that in 2022, 4 out of 10 employers acknowledged that a cybersecurity incident would constitute a major crisis for their business, second only to a sales decline or a natural disaster.

Kaspersky experts advise SMBs to adopt a comprehensive defense strategy that equips, educates, and guides security teams in their battle against sophisticated and targeted cyberattacks.