The Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) region, with its dynamic economic growth and technological advancements, presents unique challenges and opportunities in the realm of human risk management and agentic risk management, particularly within the financial services sector. As financial institutions strive to protect themselves from increasing cyber threats, they must align their security practices with the regulations set forth by central banks across the countries.
Phishing attacks are increasingly abusing trusted services to evade security filters, according to VIPRE’s Email Threat Trends Report for Q1 2026. The two primary methods of delivery were compromised accounts at 33% and free email services 32%. Additionally, just under 90% of attacks abused open redirects to mask phishing links.
We’ve long defined cybersecurity as the technical discipline of protecting networks, data and systems. But when viewed through a geopolitical lens, then this definition is no longer sufficient. What we are dealing with today goes beyond protecting organisational data, to protecting economies, sovereignty, and increasingly, human perception.
2026 has officially become the year of speed, scale and support
The delta between a phishing email landing and a full organizational compromise has shrunk to mere seconds.
World Password Day is no longer just a nudge to pick stronger passwords, it’s a moment to rethink identity. Attackers rarely “hack” systems today; they log in as you. Combine expert guidance on phishing, MFA, password managers, behavioral defenses, and new threats from AI and quantum computing to better secure your accounts now and for the future.
Researchers at Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) are tracking a new threat actor that’s impersonating help desks to trick users into installing malware. The threat actor, which GTIG tracks as “UNC6692,” begins by sending a large volume of spam emails to the victim, then initiates contact via Microsoft Teams to ostensibly help the user block the spam.
Cybercriminals are getting smarter and faster. Social engineering attacks are evolving rapidly, and AI is making them more convincing than ever. According to the 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, up to 68% of cyberattacks involve some form of social engineering. Meanwhile, 95% of cybersecurity professionals say AI is making phishing attacks harder to detect, and 65% believe attackers will soon rely on AI as their primary tool.
