JABAR EKSPRES – Cybersecurity company Kaspersky in a recent report revealed that cyber threats aimed at micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia are increasing during the first half of 2023.
According to the report, cybercriminals continue to target the MSME sector, including in Indonesia, with a variety of sophisticated tactics. They use software most commonly used by MSMEs, such as MS Office, MS Teams, Skype, and others, to spread malware and malicious software.
“With the huge potential for economic growth in Indonesia, the MSME sector must now build cyber defenses more than ever. It is important for business owners, as a first step, to map out the challenges or disruptions they face regarding cybersecurity,” said General Manager of Southeast Asia at Kaspersky Yeo Siang Tiong, as quoted by JabarEkspres.com from Antara News on Monday (9/18).
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A total of 730 MSME employees in Indonesia reported facing issues with malware or malicious software masquerading as business applications between January and June this year. Although the number has slightly decreased compared to the same period in 2022, malicious software remains a serious threat.
Malware attacks can damage MSME devices and networks, resulting in significant financial losses. In addition, malware gives attackers the opportunity to steal valuable data, threatening MSME customers and employees.
The Kaspersky report also noted that 839 malicious files were detected during the first half of 2023, an increase of 123.73 percent compared to the same period the previous year.
Kaspersky has also successfully blocked 11,969 malicious files aimed at domestic MSMEs during the first half of this year, representing an 83.18 percent increase compared to attack attempts in the same period of 2022.
In the face of cyber threats, Kaspersky provides several suggestions to protect MSMEs, including providing basic cybersecurity hygiene training to staff.
Protecting Microsoft 365 services with Kaspersky Security for Microsoft Office 365, establishing access control policies to company assets, performing regular data backups, and providing guidelines for the use of external services and resources can also be done for protection against cyber threats.
