APAC accelerates IT-OT consolidation: Cybersecurity is the number one priority

(NLDO) - The separation between Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) is blurring as digital transformation in Asia-Pacific (APAC) increases.

According to Kaspersky, this combination creates many new cybersecurity vulnerabilities, forcing businesses to deploy intelligent, multi-layered defense systems.

Mr. Adrian Hia, Managing Director of Asia Pacific region of Kaspersky

The IT & OT market in APAC is currently valued at USD 13.41 billion and is expected to reach USD 62.17 billion by 2030, a CAGR of 24.5%. APAC is a global leader in digital transformation, rapidly adopting automation, real-time data, and connected infrastructure, making IT – OT an essential factor to improve performance. However, the blurred line between the two systems widens the attack surface.

Adrian Hia, Director of Kaspersky APAC, said that data from ICS-CERT recorded Southeast Asia ranked second globally, Central Asia third and South Asia sixth in terms of ICS computer malware blocking rate in Q1/2025. In Q2/2025, APAC recorded a blocking rate of 23%, nearly 3% higher than the global average.

Proportion of industries in Asia- Pacific (APAC) detecting viruses on ICS computers in Q2 2025 compared to global average

In the same quarter, the oil and gas industry in the region faced a new wave of phishing, with spyware such as FormBook, AgentTesla, Noon attached to emails; all of which were promptly detected and blocked by Kaspersky. APAC also has one of the highest virus detection rates in the world , 2-3 times the average, threatening to disrupt operations and increase maintenance costs.

Heavily affected industries include power generation, building automation, oil and gas, manufacturing, engineering and ICS integration; heavily affected countries include Vietnam, Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia and Nepal.

Kaspersky recommends that businesses adopt a multi-layered cybersecurity framework, centered on an intelligent Security Operations Center (SOC). The prevention layer includes threat intelligence tools such as brand protection, attack source assignment, and indicators of compromise (IoC) for early detection of risks. The protection layer uses EDR, MDR, and XDR platforms that support both IT and OT, helping to detect, prevent, and effectively respond to threats on hybrid technology infrastructure.

Kaspersky Recommendations

Enterprises need to regularly assess OT system security, patch vulnerabilities and deploy timely remediation measures to prevent serious incidents.

Intensive training for both IT and OT personnel helps improve skills in preventing, detecting and responding to new attack techniques.

It is necessary to apply specialized security solutions for industrial environments, while deploying technology that can inventory assets, detect threats and anomalies across the entire infrastructure.

A unified SOC that simultaneously monitors IT and OT, combines SIEM tools, threat intelligence, and clear incident response processes to effectively protect both business technology and operations.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/apac-tang-toc-hop-nhat-it-ot-an-ninh-mang-la-uu-tien-so-mot-19625081306562665.htm