Cyber Attack Targeting MSMEs, Palo Alto Networks Affirms The Importance Of AI-Based Protection

Cyberattacks are also targeting MSMEs (photo: dock. unsplash)

JAKARTA Cybercriminals not only attack large companies, but also Micro and Medium Small Enterprises (MSMEs). Therefore, Palo Alto Networks emphasized that MSMEs need the right protection.

In research on the Cybersecurity Resilience in Mid-Market Organizations 2025, Palo Alto Networks places Indonesia at the top in Southeast Asia in cyber resilience. However, cyber threats are now increasingly sophisticated thanks to the technology of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and generative AI.

In fact, a Global Incident Response Unit 42 2025: Social Engineering Edition from Palo Alto Networks, revealed that social engineering is the most effective method, reaching 36 percent of the total cybercrime cases. Hackers are known to exploit humans in a more sophisticated way.

They use AI to imitate voices and create false identities. This allows them to quickly take over the system and result in data leakage to business bankruptcy. They also often attack the emotional side.

Hackers also used AI's Agentics to break into complicated security parts. Unfortunately, most of the weaknesses come from humans. There was 13 percent of social engineering attacks that were successful because employees ignored security warnings.

Lack of layered authentication and granting too broad access rights are also the cause of data leakage. Cybersecurity teams are often overwhelmed and only realized the attack after hackers managed to control the system.

According to Adi Rusli, Indonesian Country Manager Palo Alto Networks, MSMEs can no longer rely on old security systems. To fight increasingly sophisticated attacks, MSMEs also need to switch to AI-based solutions.

"Facing threats like this, businesses can no longer rely on old security systems and need to switch to adaptive AI solutions and react directly to threats," Adi said in a statement received by VOI on Thursday, September 11.

Adi added that building a security culture rooted in the principle of zero trust is also very important. Every access and activity must be verified periodically to strengthen protection.