Singapore hit by 2.7m remote-access attacks as hackers weaponise IT tools

Brute-force scripts turn remote-work tools into entry points for ransomware.

Singapore is one of the top targets for Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and exploit attacks in Southeast Asia (SEA), according to Kaspersky

Data from Kaspersky revealed that it blocked over 2 million exploit attacks targeting businesses in SEA in 2025, with Singapore logging over 70,000 of such attacks.

Exploits are malicious code that takes advantage of unpatched software vulnerabilities. The term exploits describes a program, piece of code or even some data written by a hacker or malware writer that is designed to take advantage of a bug or vulnerability in an application or operating system.

Aside from exploits, hackers are also taking advantage of remote access services as a way to gain direct control over systems. Kaspersky detected over 35 million RDP attacks across its devices in SEA last year, with Singapore accounting for more than 2.7 million of them.

RDP is a legitimate tool commonly used to access Windows-based computers and servers from a distance. RDP was conceived as a remote administration tool, but is often used by intruders to penetrate the target computer. By exploiting incorrectly configured RDP settings or system software vulnerabilities, cybercriminals can intercept an RDP session and log in to the system with the victim’s permissions.

In a separate report, Kaspersky revealed that Singapore businesses faced 1,371,435 web-based cyber threat detections in 2025, with the cybersecurity expert blocking more than 18 million such attacks across SEA.