From January to June, Kaspersky's enterprise security solutions blocked nearly 192,000 spyware attempts - an alarming 78.8% increase compared to the same period last year.

Vietnam ranked third in the region for year-over-year growth in spyware attacks, trailing only Singapore (up 210.9%) and Malaysia (up 124.2%).

On average, Vietnamese businesses faced more than 1,520 spyware attacks per day.

In total, Southeast Asia saw over 427,000 spyware incidents during this period, with Vietnam accounting for the largest share.

The breakdown by country was: Indonesia (85,560), Malaysia (96,539), the Philippines (12,019), Singapore (20,157), and Thailand (21,014).

Kaspersky noted that the surge reflects a growing cybersecurity threat to Vietnamese businesses, particularly as digital transformation accelerates and online activity becomes more widespread.

Understanding spyware risks

Spyware is a type of malware that secretly infiltrates devices to monitor and collect user data, including keystrokes, screenshots, browsing history, and login credentials.

While it does not directly damage systems, spyware allows attackers to quietly extract personal, financial, or sensitive corporate information.

Some commercial spyware variants - such as Pegasus, Reign, and Predator - can infect devices using “zero-click” methods, requiring no user interaction such as clicking a link or downloading a file.

In 2024, Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) introduced a method for detecting traces of such spyware on iPhones through the analysis of the "Shutdown.log" file.

Simon Tung, General Director of Kaspersky for Southeast Asia, emphasized that Vietnam’s rapid digitalization has significantly increased the risk of data breaches.

He explained that online transactions, social media connections, and digital interactions all leave behind digital footprints - entry points that hackers can exploit to steal login credentials, financial records, and shopping histories.

According to Tung, the adoption of threat intelligence platforms can help organizations proactively detect and respond to spyware threats.

While eliminating spyware attacks completely is difficult, Kaspersky experts recommend several measures to reduce risk, including regularly updating software, avoiding suspicious links, using VPNs, restarting devices periodically, and deploying reliable security solutions.

Additionally, keeping abreast of emerging attack tactics and techniques will enable businesses to better defend themselves against increasingly sophisticated threats.

Du Lam