Artificial Intelligence-Powered Cyberattacks Surge in the Asia-Pacific Region, With Deepfakes Leading the Charge

The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing an exponential rise in AI-driven cyberattacks, particularly involving deepfakes. A new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlights the increasing use of generative AI (GenAI) by cybercriminal gangs in Southeast Asia. These malicious actors have been leveraging AI to create sophisticated phishing attacks in multiple languages, deploy manipulative chatbots, spread disinformation across social media, and bypass know-your-customer (KYC) protocols using fabricated documents. AI tools have also been used to power polymorphic malware, evade security software, and identify high-value targets for attacks.

One of the most alarming developments is the dramatic surge in deepfake crimes. From February to June 2024, mentions of deepfakes in underground forums and cybercriminal channels increased by 600%. This rise follows a staggering 1,500% increase in deepfake-related crimes throughout 2023, along with a 704% surge in face swap injection cases in the latter half of that year.

Several high-profile incidents have drawn attention to the severe consequences of these attacks. In January 2024, an employee at the Hong Kong office of British engineering firm Arup fell victim to a deepfake scam, leading to the loss of 200 million Hong Kong dollars ($25.6 million). The employee was deceived by deepfake video calls and emails that appeared to come from senior management, resulting in a fraudulent financial transaction. Other notable cases include deepfake videos of political figures in Singapore and Southeast Asia, which have been used to spread disinformation and erode trust.

The report shows that Vietnam and Japan accounted for nearly half of all deepfake crimes in Asia in 2023. However, the Philippines saw the most rapid growth in cases, with a 4,500% increase compared to the previous year. This surge has been fueled by a thriving underground market where deepfake tools and services are easily accessible to cybercriminals. These services are powered by advanced AI technologies, such as real-time facial expression capture and cutting-edge object detection models, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish fake from real.

Despite the global nature of AI-driven cybercrime, certain conditions in Southeast Asia have made the region particularly vulnerable. Language barriers and economic challenges leave many individuals susceptible to sophisticated scams. Additionally, the region’s densely populated areas provide a larger pool of potential victims, further enabling cybercriminals to exploit the situation.