Kaspersky Warns AI-Native Cyber Threats Are Outpacing Traditional Defences in APAC

Artificial intelligence is reshaping cybersecurity on both sides of the battlefield, with attackers using AI to launch faster, more sophisticated cyberattacks than ever before. According to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, this is creating a growing “visibility gap” that is making it increasingly difficult for organisations across the Asia-Pacific region to detect and respond to threats.

Speaking about the evolving threat landscape, Adrian Hia, Managing Director for Kaspersky Asia Pacific, said organisations are no longer just racing against time—they are racing against invisibility, as cybercriminals increasingly rely on AI to automate attacks and evade traditional security measures.

AI is Transforming the Cyber Threat Landscape

Kaspersky says it is witnessing a rise in AI-assisted attacks, cyber sabotage targeting both IT and operational technology (OT) environments, and increasingly advanced cyber espionage campaigns.

The company revealed that it blocked around 500,000 unique malicious files every day in 2025, marking a 7% increase compared to 2024.

It also pointed to recent attacks across the Asia-Pacific region, including disruptions to logistics operations and ransomware incidents targeting India’s manufacturing sector. According to Kaspersky, AI agents are introducing new supply chain risks as well, with researchers identifying more than 15,000 malware samples disguised as agentic AI software this year.

Visibility Gap Continues to Worry Security Teams

Kaspersky’s latest Compromise Assessment report suggests that many organisations continue to struggle with detecting breaches before attackers can cause significant damage.

According to the report:

• 31% of analysed incidents remained active for more than three months before being discovered.
• 52% of high-severity compromises were detected only after 90 days.
• The longest-running incident uncovered by Kaspersky had remained undetected for four years.

The findings suggest that while organisations continue investing heavily in cybersecurity tools, technology alone cannot compensate for weaknesses in monitoring, threat detection and operational readiness.

AI Still Needs Human Expertise

Kaspersky argues that modern Security Operations Centres (SOCs) should combine artificial intelligence with experienced security analysts rather than relying on automation alone.

The company said it has integrated AI into its cybersecurity products for more than two decades, using machine learning models trained on anonymised telemetry collected from millions of endpoints worldwide. According to Kaspersky, AI now enables faster threat detection, automated investigations and improved incident response, while human analysts remain essential for investigating sophisticated attacks and making critical security decisions.

Kaspersky refers to this approach as “HuMachine Intelligence”, combining AI-driven automation with human expertise to strengthen cybersecurity operations.

Focus on Managed Security Services

To help organisations close the visibility gap, Kaspersky is promoting its managed security portfolio, including Compromise Assessment, Managed Detection and Response (MDR), Incident Response and SOC Consulting services. The company says these offerings are designed to improve threat visibility, reduce detection times and strengthen incident response capabilities.

As enterprises continue adopting AI across their operations, Kaspersky believes cybersecurity strategies must evolve as well. The company argues that defending against increasingly AI-native cyber threats will require a combination of AI-powered detection, continuous monitoring and skilled human security teams.