JAKARTA - CrowdStrike has just released its "2025 APJ eCrime Landscape Report," which reveals the growing presence of anonymous Chinese-language marketplaces, which have become hubs for cybercrime activity in Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ).
The report shows that Chinese underground marketplaces—including Chang'an, FreeCity, and Huione Guarantee—maintain anonymity through clearnets, darknets, and channels on the Telegram platform.
"Cybercriminals are now commercializing digital crime in the Asia Pacific and Japan region through evolving underground marketplaces and increasingly complex ransomware operations," said Adam Meyers, Head of Counter Adversary Operations, CrowdStrike.
These decentralized ecosystems are becoming hubs for Chinese-speaking actors to buy and sell stolen credentials, phishing kits, malware, and money laundering services—with total illicit transactions reaching US$27 billion before being disrupted in 2025.
At the same time, CrowStrike also found a rise in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven ransomware operations, ranging from AI-powered social engineering to automated malware development.
"At the same time, malware developed using AI is enabling attackers to launch attacks at much greater speed and scale," Meyers added.
AI-based ransomware targeting high-value organizations is on the rise, with India, Australia, and Japan being the most affected countries. New Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) providers like KillSec and Funklocker, which utilize AI-developed malware, are responsible for more than 120 incidents.
The most targeted sectors, according to the report, include manufacturing, technology, and financial services, with 763 victims publicly disclosed on dedicated data breach sites.
"Defense teams must be able to respond decisively, empowered by the power of AI, guided by human experience, and united in the face of the threat," he stressed.
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