Kaspersky blocks more threats against SMBs in Thailand

Kaspersky recently announced its recent SMB threat statistics for Thailand from January - June 2023.

The fresh report shows that in the first half of 2023, 251 SMB employees in Thailand encountered malware or unwanted software disguised as business applications, with 270 unique files distributed this way. The total number of detections of these files was 2,375.

Malware, an umbrella term for "malicious software", is designed by and for professional cybercriminals to cause harm to a user's device or network. It encompasses a variety of cyber threats such as Trojans and viruses (ransomware is a form of malware). Malware attacks are destructive to small businesses as they can cripple devices requiring expensive repairs or replacement. Malwares also give attackers a back door to access and steal data, putting both customers and employees at risk.

When compared with the same period last year, 2023 numbers showed a significant increase. Kaspersky logged only 68 SMB employees in the country that encountered 81 malicious unique files in the same period in 2022.

The total number of detections in H1 2023 is 257.68% higher than in H1 2022 where Kaspersky recorded only 664 files.

The statistics used in this report were collected from January - June 2023 by Kaspersky Security Network (KSN), a system for processing anonymized cyberthreat-related data shared voluntarily by Kaspersky users.

To assess the threat landscape for the SMB sector, Kaspersky experts collected the names of the most popular software products used by its clients who owned small or medium-sized businesses around the world. The final list of the software includes MS Office, MS Teams, Skype and others used by the SMB sector. Kaspersky then ran these software names against Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) telemetry to find out how much malware and unwanted software was distributed under the guise of these applications.

According to Thailand's Office of SMEs Promotion, there are 3.178 million small and medium-sized businesses or SMBs, accounting for 99.57% of the total number of enterprises in the country. More than 12.6 million people were employed, accounting for 71.86% of total employment. Unquestionably, SMBs form the backbone of the country's economy.

"The perception was that large organizations were more appealing to cybercriminals. Yet in reality, cybercriminals can target anyone, especially those who are less protected. SMBs often have limited resources and may not possess the same level of sophisticated security measures. This makes them easy targets for cybercriminals," said Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky.

Cybercriminals attempt to deliver malware and unwanted software to employees' devices by using any means necessary, such as vulnerability exploitation, phishing e-mails and fake text messages. Even something totally unrelated to business, such as a YouTube link, may be used to target SMBs, as their employees often use the same devices for work and personal matters.

One of the methods often utilized to hack into employees' smartphones is so-called "smishing" (a combination of SMS and phishing). The victim receives a link via SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat or some other messaging app. If the user clicks the link, malicious code is uploaded to the system.

Scammers often reach employees by e-mail. They use social engineering techniques to try to trick employees into following a phishing link, revealing the company's confidential data or transferring money.

"The impact of cyberattacks on SMBs can be devastating, resulting in financial losses, reputational damage, and even business closure in some cases. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize cybersecurity for SMBs to safeguard their digital assets, maintain customer trust, and ensure the continuous development and success of their business that contributes high growth to the country," added Yeo.

As cybercriminals target SMBs with all types of threats — from malware disguised as business software to elaborate phishing and e-mail scams — businesses need to stay on high alert. This is critical, because a single cyberattack can lead to catastrophic financial and reputational losses for a company. To keep your business protected from cyberthreats, we recommend you do the following:

• Provide your staff with basic cybersecurity hygiene training. Conduct a simulated phishing attack to ensure that they know how to recognize phishing e-mails.
• If you are a Microsoft 365 user, remember to protect that too. Kaspersky Security for Microsoft Office 365 includes dedicated apps that target spam and phishing, and protect SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive for secure business communications.
• Set up a policy to control access to corporate assets, such as e-mail boxes, shared folders and online documents. Keep it up to date and remove access if the employee has left the company or no longer needs the data. Use cloud access security broker software that can help manage and monitor employees' cloud activity and enforce security policies.
• Make regular backups of essential data to ensure that corporate information stays safe in an emergency.
• Provide clear guidelines on the use of external services and resources. Employees should know which tools they should or should not use and why. Any new work software should go through a clearly outlined approval process by IT and other responsible roles.
• Encourage employees to create strong passwords for all digital services they use and to protect accounts with multi-factor authentication wherever applicable.
• Use professional services to help you get the most out of your cybersecurity resources. The new Kaspersky Professional Services Packages for SMB provides access to Kaspersky's expertise on assessment, deployment and configuration: all you need to do is add the package to the contract, and our experts will do the rest.
• Use a security solution for endpoints, such as Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business or Cloud-Based Endpoint Security, to minimize the chances of infection.
• Have a comprehensive defensive concept that equips, informs and guides your team in their fight against the most sophisticated and targeted cyberattacks like Kaspersky Extended Detection and Response (XDR) platform.

For local SMBs, Kaspersky in Southeast Asia also has launched a Buy 1 Free 1 promo which allows businesses to enjoy two years of enterprise-grade endpoint protection for the price of 1 with Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business or Cloud or Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum, with 24x7 phone support. Interested customers can reach out to [email protected]. 

To know more about Kaspersky's latest SMB threat report, visit https://securelist.com/smb-threat-report-2023/110097/.