11/01/2026

ON SUNDAY January 11, 2026 II theSunday Special

The real danger lies not just in obvious malware attacks but in quiet, identity-driven and AI-assisted intrusions.”

Businesses depend on a web of cloud SODWIRUPV VRIWZDUH WRROV DQG RXWVRXUFHG partners. If even one of these third parties LV FRPSURPLVHG DWWDFNHUV FDQ MXPS across the network and reach dozens or hundreds of organisations at once. “A single compromised vendor can expose hundreds of organisations at RQFH ´ 6\HG $]ODQ HPSKDVLVHG And SMEs are the biggest target be cause they often lack cybersecurity talent and rely heavily on external IT support. R DQVRPZDUH JURXSV DUH DOVR HYROYLQJ VKLIWLQJ IURP ORXG GLVUXSWLYH DWWDFNV WR VWHDOWKLHU ORQJHU WHUP LQILOWUDWLRQ ,QVWHDG RI LPPHGLDWHO\ ORFNLQJ V\VWHPV DWWDFNHUV PD\ TXLHWO\ VLW ZLWKLQ QHWZRUNV study internal processes and choose the most opportune moment to strike. As 6\HG $]ODQ SXW LW UDQVRPZDUH WRGD\ LV not about brute force but strategy. Which Malaysian sectors are most at risk? I I \RX WKLQN RQO\ ¿QDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQV DUH EHLQJ WDUJHWHG WKLQN DJDLQ 5HFHQW UHSRUWV show Malaysia recorded 27.9 million web-based threats in 2024 – the highest in Southeast Asia. Ransomware alone jumped 78% in one quarter. According to 6\HG $]ODQ ZLOO QRW EH DQ\ NLQGHU Here are the sectors standing on the IURQW OLQH • Manufacturing and industrial operations As factories push toward automation and Internet of Things (IOT – a net work of physical objects that collect and H[FKDQJH GDWD RYHU WKH LQWHUQHW PDQ\ still use older operational technology that lacks modern security protections. 2QFH ,7 DQG 27 V\VWHPV FRQQHFW attackers gain new pathways to disrupt production lines or steal proprietary data. • F LQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV DQG ¿QWHFK B DQNV PD\ KDYH VWURQJ GHIHQFHV EXW attackers often choose weaker links in WKH ¿QDQFLDO HFRV\VWHP VXFK DV VPDOOHU ¿QWHFK ¿UPV SD\PHQW SURYLGHUV RU outsourced service platforms. • Government and public-service systems Public-sector platforms are attractive targets because they hold massive amounts of citizen data. A breach can undermine not just services but QDWLRQDO FRQ¿GHQFH • Healthcare organisations Hospitals and clinics run on sensitive UHFRUGV OHJDF\ V\VWHPV DQG WLPH critical services. Ransomware groups know healthcare institutions are more likely to pay quickly to minimise dis ruption.

Cyber threats to look out for in 2026

BY ASHRAF WAHAB

M ALAYSIA has spent the past decade racing into the digital future. We scan QR codes for everything from FR̆ HH WR FOLQLF YLVLWV WUXVW cloud platforms to store our businesses’ lifeblood and rely on AI-powered tools to speed up everyday work. But as our digital FRPIRUW JURZV VR GRHV WKH VRSKLVWLFDWLRQ of those trying to exploit it. “ &\EHU WKUHDWV DUH EHFRPLQJ IDVWHU PRUH WDUJHWHG DQG KDUGHU WR GHWHFW ´ ZDUQHG 6\HG $]ODQ 6\HG ,EUDKLP D 0D laysian cybersecurity and technology risk H[SHUW ZLWK QHDUO\ WZR GHFDGHV LQ WKH ¿HOG I Q KH VDLG WKH UHDO GDQJHU OLHV not just in obvious malware attacks but LQ TXLHW LGHQWLW\ GULYHQ DQG $, DVVLVWHG intrusions hidden beneath the surface. L DVW \HDU ZH ZLWQHVVHG D VXUJH LQ VFDPV LPSHUVRQDWLRQ DWWHPSWV IUDXGX lent payment links and deepfake voice FDOOV $QG LI \RX WKLQN WKH ZRUVW LV RYHU Syed Azlan suggested Malaysians should EUDFH IRU HYHQ PRUH FXQQLQJ IDVWHU DQG more automated forms of cybercrime in the coming year. Welcome to the next chapter of the GLJLWDO VHFXULW\ EDWWOH ZKHUH WUXVW LV WKH most valuable currency and AI-powered cybercriminals never sleep. The rise of identity theft 2.0 If there is one threat most Malaysians VKRXOG SD\ DWWHQWLRQ WR LQ LW LV

identity theft. The older stereotype of suspicious emails with bad grammar is ORQJ JRQH 7RGD\¶V VFDPV DUH SROLVKHG personalised and frighteningly convinc ing. “ $WWDFNHUV QRZ XVH $, WR PLPLF YRLFHV writing styles and even WhatsApp mes VDJLQJ SDWWHUQV ´ 6\HG $]ODQ H[SODLQHG W LWK HQRXJK SXEOLFO\ DYDLODEOH GDWD a criminal can craft a message that looks H[DFWO\ OLNH VRPHWKLQJ \RXU ERVV UHODWLYH or bank would send. Fraudulent QR codes are another rising danger. Criminals paste fake stickers over UHDO RQHV UHGLUHFWLQJ SD\PHQWV WR WKHLU own accounts. With QR-based transac WLRQV GRPLQDWLQJ HYHU\GD\ 0DOD\VLDQ OLIH this threat is only expected to grow. The scary part? These attacks are increasingly automated. Criminals no ORQJHU UHO\ RQ RQH VL]H ¿WV DOO SKLVKLQJ blasts. AI tools allow them to launch thousands of customised campaigns VLPXOWDQHRXVO\ HDFK WDLORUHG WR D VSHFL¿F victim’s background. M DOD\VLD¶V GLJLWDO DWWDFN VXUIDFH 6\HG $]ODQ VDLG KDV QHYHU EHHQ ZLGHU Businesses face a silent enemy: Supply-chain attacks While individuals battle scams and iden WLW\ WKHIW 0DOD\VLDQ EXVLQHVVHV HVSHFLDOO\ 60(V ZLOO IDFH D GL̆ HUHQW EHDVW LQ Indirect attacks through vendors and service providers.

Cyber threats are becoming faster, more targeted and harder to detect.”

Syed Azlan