AI: A Double-Edged Sword for Indonesia's Cyber Security in 2026

Indonesia is now at the centre of a massive digital transformation. Data from Oxford Insight shows that Indonesia’s readiness to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technology has reached 65.85%, particularly in the government sector and data management. However, the rapid adoption of AI is like a double-edged sword; it drives efficiency while opening up gaps for more sophisticated cybercrime.

Kaspersky Security Network’s (KSN) annual security report recorded 14,909,665 successful web-based attacks blocked in Indonesia throughout last year. In detail, this figure equates to 40,848 cyber attack attempts every day.

Statistically, 22.4% of internet users in Indonesia faced online threats during the period from January to December 2025. This data places Indonesia at 84th in the world as the country with the highest risk of web surfing dangers.

The main methods used by hackers are attacks via browsers, either through exploitation of security vulnerabilities (drive-by download) or social engineering techniques.

Simon Tung, General Manager for ASEAN and AEC at Kaspersky, emphasised that 2026 will be a turning point where AI becomes the “common thread” in the emergence of more complex security risks.

“Cyber security is an important area that must be considered in AI implementation. IT teams must have security operations teams capable of monitoring and addressing cyber threats. Furthermore, protecting personal data must also be a top priority for individual users. Finally, clear policies and regulations on data protection need to be implemented to protect user rights. These factors reinforce each other in creating a solid security defence,” said Simon Tung.

He added that although AI helps security teams (defenders) detect anomalies faster, the same technology is also exploited by attackers.

“2026 is likely to bring an increase in sophisticated incidents, and it will become clear that AI is the common thread connecting most emerging risks. By delving into this, we want to highlight that AI will not only help defenders detect anomalies faster but will also help attackers design markets, investigate infrastructure, and generate convincing malicious content,” Tung added.

To face increasingly dynamic threats, Kaspersky provides several practical recommendations:

For Individual Users:

For Organisations/Companies:

As part of efforts to enhance digital security literacy during this Ramadan month, Kaspersky is offering a special promotion with discounts until 20 March 2026 for users in Indonesia who wish to strengthen their device defences.