Data Breach Crisis: APAC's Gaming Hub Faces Cybersecurity Challenges

In 2024, India's online gaming community suffered a significant data breach, with over 84,000 user details leaked, according to cybersecurity giant Kaspersky. This incident is part of a broader trend across the Asia-Pacific region, now a global hub for gaming both in terms of numbers and influence.

Kaspersky identified Thailand as having the highest number of gaming account breaches, totalling 162,892, followed by the Philippines and Vietnam. India, with 84,262 leaked cases, ranks fourth. The region's swift digital adoption and massive gaming population are key factors in its vulnerability to cyber threats.

The Asia-Pacific region houses over 1.8 billion gamers, making it a prime target for data-stealing activities, as noted by Adrian Hia, Kaspersky's Managing Director for the area. With a surge in cyber threats, the company observed an exponential increase from one new virus threat every hour to 467,000 daily since 2004.

(With inputs from agencies.)