Cisco Releases Asia Pacific Security Capabilities Report
Domestic companies urgently need to strengthen their security capabilities.
The lowest in the Asia-Pacific region
On the 6th, Cisco Korea announced the 'Cisco 2018 Asia Pacific Security Capabilities Benchmark Study', which was conducted on approximately 2,000 security experts from 11 countries in the Asia Pacific region, including Korea, China, and Japan.


Thousands of security threat alerts sound every day, but resolution rates are low.
According to a Cisco report, 61% of domestic companies detect more than 5,000 security alerts daily. However, the analysis found that 70% of these threat alerts are left unattended without proper action. Even among the 30% of security alerts that are investigated, only 16% are determined to be actual threats. This figure is significantly lower than the global average (34%) and the Asia-Pacific standard (44%), suggesting that companies need to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of their security.
Furthermore, the rate of resolving issues among alerts identified as threats was less than half, at 40%. This is lower than the global average of 50% and the Asia-Pacific average of 53%. In this survey of 11 Asia-Pacific countries, the only countries that fell behind Korea were Thailand (37%) and Vietnam (39%).
Additionally, half (49%) of domestic respondents who experienced a security attack reported an average economic loss of $1 million to $5 million (approximately KRW 1.11 billion to KRW 5.57 billion). This economic loss encompasses decreased revenue, decreased customers, and increased expenses. Six percent of respondents reported losses of $5 million to $10 million (approximately KRW 11.14 billion). On the other hand, only 2% of the group responded that they suffered relatively low losses of less than $100,000, a large gap from 20% in Asia Pacific and 30% globally, revealing that the economic loss due to security attacks is significant.


Too many security vendors/solutions, increasing complexity and vulnerabilities.
Ninety-two percent of Korean security professionals surveyed said they find it extremely difficult to collaborate and coordinate security threat alerts across multiple partners and products. This figure is significantly higher than the 82% in the Asia-Pacific region and the global average of 74%.
34% of Korean respondents said they work with more than 10 security vendors, and 50% said they operate more than 10 security products simultaneously, which increases the complexity and vulnerability of security measures.

This research found that, among the Asia-Pacific region, Korea needs to significantly strengthen its security threat response capabilities. Respondents cited three obstacles: insufficient budget, compatibility issues with existing systems, and a lack of relevant information. Cisco assessed that security training, organization, and automation would significantly contribute to cybersecurity capabilities.


Cyberattacks are expanding to include operational technologies, raising concerns about the potential for a significant impact on businesses.
Cyber threats are expanding beyond IT infrastructure to encompass operational technology (OT) that impacts the entire corporate operating system, exposing companies to greater risks. Thirty percent of Asia-Pacific respondents reported experiencing a cyberattack on their operational technology, and 50% predicted an increase in similar attacks in the future. Forty-one percent responded that if their company's operational infrastructure technology remains in its current state, it will have a negative impact on their entire business. With the scope of cyber threats expanding, a thorough review of overall security policies is urgently needed.

The Cisco report also released key recommendations for security professionals.

▲Introducing next-generation endpoint process monitoring ▲Accurately identify timely threat intelligence data and processes to integrate data into security monitoring and alerts ▲Implementing scalable front-line defense tools such as cloud security platforms ▲Minimizing exposure to outbreaks through network segments ▲Regularly reviewing and improving security response procedures ▲Utilizing automated solutions and supplementing limited resources with technology

“As we move into a world where everything is connected, from AI and IoT to multi-cloud environments, security is becoming a core part of today’s businesses,” said Cho Beom-goo, CEO of Cisco Korea. “Currently, Cisco blocks 20 billion threats every day, but the scope of threats continues to grow and their complexity is also increasing.” He added, “Rather than providing a one-off security solution, Cisco is striving to provide a complete security platform that covers the entire attack surface across the network.”

Meanwhile, this report surveyed approximately 2,000 security professionals from 11 countries, including Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand, and Australia, on cybersecurity response capabilities and economic losses. More detailed information about the report can be found on the Cisco website.