Organizations based in Singapore are currently facing a significant surge in cyberattacks and cybersecurity worries, as outlined in a recent study conducted by Rubrik Zero Labs.
In their most recent publication, “The State of Data Security in 2025: A Distributed Crisis,” Rubrik discovered that 91% of IT and security executives encountered cyberattacks over the past year, underscoring escalating concerns surrounding hybrid cloud environments and data protection.
The research highlights the complications brought on by swift cloud integration and the increasingly intricate nature of IT infrastructures. With organizations transferring more sensitive data into hybrid cloud systems, cybercriminals are expanding their strategies to exploit vulnerabilities across both cloud and on-premises setups.
Sheena Chin, the managing director for ASEAN at Rubrik, emphasized, “Organizations are navigating a more interconnected and complex landscape, which presents new opportunities as well as new risks. In Singapore’s advanced digital realm, businesses must enhance their capacity to safeguard critical data to keep up with emerging threats.”
Cyberattacks are now more frequent and disruptive, with nearly 20% of Singapore-based organizations reporting over 25 cyberattacks in 2024 alone, averaging at least one attack every two weeks. The most common attack methods included malware infections (38%), phishing attempts (32%), insider threats (31%), breaches of cloud or SaaS environments (26%), and broader data breaches (23%).
The repercussions of these incidents were substantial, with 38% of organizations experiencing reputational damage and a decline in customer trust, 37% incurring higher security costs, and 33% witnessing leadership changes at the executive level following a cyberattack.
The proliferation of AI and the ongoing adoption of cloud technologies are further complicating data security efforts. The survey revealed that 92% of IT and security leaders in Singapore are managing hybrid cloud environments, with approximately half of them hosting the majority of their workloads in the cloud.
This transition has introduced several challenges, with 42% identifying data security in hybrid environments as their most significant obstacle, 36% citing data privacy and compliance as major concerns, and 34% underscoring a lack of centralized visibility and control over their environments.
Furthermore, Rubrik’s telemetry data indicated that 36% of sensitive files are classified as high-risk, containing personally identifiable information (PII) such as Social Security numbers, phone numbers, intellectual property, and source code.
Ransomware attacks and identity-based threats are evolving threats for organizations in Singapore, with 95% of ransomware victims admitting to paying the ransom to regain access to their data. Additionally, 75% acknowledged that threat actors managed to partially compromise backup and recovery systems, while 38% reported a complete compromise of their backup environments.
Identity threats are escalating alongside the proliferation of cloud services, with 91% of organizations utilizing between two and five cloud or SaaS platforms, creating new vulnerabilities in identity and access management. Attackers are increasingly exploiting these gaps to move laterally across systems and escalate their attacks.
Insider threats, often linked to compromised credentials, were identified as a growing concern by 31% of IT leaders. Rubrik’s telemetry also uncovered that 27% of high-risk sensitive files contain digital access data like API keys, usernames, and account numbers, which attackers frequently exploit to gain deeper access to systems.
The study underscores the necessity for a data-centric security approach in Singapore, where traditional perimeter-based defenses are no longer sufficient. With hybrid environments becoming the standard and cybercriminals adapting swiftly, a pivot towards directly securing critical data, irrespective of its location, is becoming increasingly imperative.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, organizations that take a proactive stance in identifying and safeguarding sensitive information are better positioned to sustain resilience and adapt to future risks.
