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🇳🇿 New Zealand /Crime & Justice

Interpol: Cybercrime surges in Asia, South Pacific

From RNZ Pacific · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • Interpol reports a significant rise in cybercrime across Asia and the South Pacific, with over half of surveyed nations indicating it constitutes at least 30% of all national crimes.
  • Financial losses for many countries exceeded $10,000, and several reported over $100 million, exacerbated by an uneven cybersecurity landscape that leaves developing nations vulnerable.
  • The report identified prevalent malware families like RedLine and LummaC2, targeting credentials and crypto wallets, while Interpol's ASPJOC project aims to enhance regional law enforcement capabilities against cyber threats.

Cybercrime is surging across Asia and the South Pacific, with more than half of surveyed countries reporting it accounts for at least 30% of all national crimes, according to an Interpol report released June 17.

While the most developed digital economies have comparatively robust cybersecurity frameworks and are better equipped to handle cyberattacks, others - including many small island states and developing countries in the Pacific - face severe obstacles in terms of institutional preparedness, technical know-how, and resources.

— Interpol reportThe report explains the disparity in cybersecurity capabilities across the region.

Financial losses are substantial, with many nations experiencing over $10,000 in damages and several reporting losses exceeding $100 million. Interpol attributes this dramatic increase to the region's "uneven cybersecurity landscape." Developed economies possess robust frameworks, but many small island states and developing countries lack the institutional preparedness, technical expertise, and resources to combat cyberattacks effectively.

This disparity makes these vulnerable nations prime targets and potential gateways for malicious activity. Criminal groups exploit weaker legislation, fragmented enforcement, and limited technical capacity, operating with a low risk of identification or prosecution. The report highlighted specific threats, including the RedLine infostealer, which targets login credentials and browser data, and LummaC2, a major infostealer focused on cryptocurrency wallets and two-factor authentication extensions.

These disparities make them highly vulnerable, both to direct targeting and to being used as gateways for further malicious activity.

— Interpol reportThe report details the consequences of the uneven cybersecurity landscape.

Interpol's Asia and South Pacific Joint Operations against Cybercrime (ASPJOC) project is working to bolster the capabilities of national law enforcement agencies in the region. The first phase of this UK-funded initiative concluded in July 2025, focusing on enhancing cybercrime combatting skills in several Pacific island nations and Asian countries.

Jurisdictions with less robust legislation, fragmented enforcement, and limited technical capacity are particularly attractive to threat actors, who often operate with a low likelihood of being identified or prosecuted.

— Interpol reportThe report describes why certain countries are more vulnerable to cyber threats.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by RNZ Pacific in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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