Growth Drivers | August 13, 2025
By Kylie Watson, Head of Cybersecurity, DXC Technology
During the past few decades, we’ve seen significant technological advancements that have impacted every industry and aspect of our lives. However, this convergence of innovation has also created a perfect storm of opportunity for hackers, data breaches and other cybercrimes to occur.
Attackers are exploiting security gaps in everything from remote work platforms to smart devices. Meanwhile, the widespread adoption of cloud computing, AI and connected devices have created a larger attack surface and made it easier for even low-skilled hackers to launch increasingly sophisticated attacks.
This is leaving organizations scrambling to keep up
For example, in Australia, there was a notable rise in cybercrime incidents during the 2022-2023 financial year, with over 94,000 cybercrimes reported to law enforcement agencies—a 23% increase from the previous year.
In Asia, cybercrime rates have increased significantly from 2020 to the present day, with the region becoming a prime target for cybercrime. In 2022, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region accounted for approximately 31% of global cyberattacks, making it the most attacked region in the world.
Navigating the increasing number of industry-specific cyberattacks is crucial, particularly in sectors such as government, healthcare, education, professional, utility services and telecommunications services. Ransomware attacks made up 11% of all incidents, an increase of 3% from 2022 to 2023.
This challenging cybersecurity environment prompted the Australian government to develop the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy and introduce the Cyber Security Act to address the increasing threats and vulnerabilities.