Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 Regional Analysis East Asia and Pacific

Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 Regional Analysis: East Asia and Pacific FEBRUARY 2026 Introduction Cybersecurity risk in 2026 is accelerating, fuelled by advances in AI, deepening geopolitical fragmentation and the complexity of supply chains. This analysis builds on the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 (GCO 2026) to examine how these global trends are playing out in East Asia and Pacific, providing a focused view of the region’s evolving cybersecurity landscape. AI security AI risk perception –According to the GCO 2026 survey, 95% of organizations in the region believe AI and machine learning will have the greatest impact on cybersecurity in the next 12 months (globally 94%) and 79% report that AI-related risks have increased in the past year (globally 87%).Key takeaways on East Asia and Pacific –95% of organizations in the region believe AI and machine learning will have the greatest impact on cybersecurity in the next 12 months. –81% of organizations in this region have implemented AI-enabled tools to fulfil their cybersecurity objectives. –47% of organizations in East Asia and Pacific express confidence in their country’s ability to respond to a major cyber incident affecting critical infrastructure, above the global average of 37%. –79% of organizations in this region reported an increase in cyber fraud and phishing attacks, higher than the global average of 77%. –16% of organizations in East Asia and Pacific rate their cyber resilience as insufficient, compared with 17% globally. –44% of organizations in East Asia and Pacific report they lack the workforce skills required to meet their current cybersecurity objectives (globally 50%)Does your organization have a process in place to assess the security of AI tools before deploying them? East Asia and Pacific 48% 27% 5% 19% 40% 21% 13% 26%South Asia 36% 27% 10% 26%Europe and Central Asia56% 13% 7% 24%Middle East and North Africa 29% 18% 8% 45%Sub-Saharan Africa 19% 24% 6% 51%Latin America and the Caribbean56% 22% 4% 18%North America Yes, we review periodically Yes, we review once I don’t know No –Data leaks are considered the most pressing cybersecurity issue linked to generative AI in this region, cited by 42% of respondents (globally 34%). –This heightened concern is not unique to East Asia and Pacific but the region is taking additional steps to address it. According to the GCO 2026 survey, 75% of organizations in this region report having processes to assess the security of AI tools prior to deployment – the second-highest rate across regions after North America (78%). AI for security –Organizations in East Asia and Pacific are actively adopting AI-enabled tools to strengthen their cybersecurity posture, according to 81% of respondents (globally 77%). –However, organizations in the region report facing two hurdles in adopting AI for cybersecurity: 1. Insufficient skills – cited by 57% of organizations as the most significant challenge 2. Unclear business case – highlighted by 51% as a major barrier to implementation