WHAT’S BUZZING
Skills and capability gaps hinder Apac businesses from delivering exceptional digital experiences
Businesses in Asia Pacific (Apac) are recognising that critical skills and capability gaps may be holding them back from serving digital-first consumers effectively. According to Adobe’s 2022 Digital Trends: APAC in Focus report, 77% of businesses in the region saw a surge in new customers through digital channels over the past 18 months.
However, only a quarter of them believe they have significant insights into this pool of new customers, such as their customers’ friction points and purchasing drivers. To overcome this, the majority of Apac businesses are increasing their investment in customer experience management (59%) and customer data technology (60%).
The report also reveals that 45% of Apac businesses said their digital experience lags customer expectations. The lack of necessary skills was cited as the biggest obstacle preventing them from delivering exceptional digital experiences.
“Understanding and serving a new breed of online consumers has become the new competitive battleground for Apac businesses. While many organisations are responding decisively by fast-tracking investment in improving the digital experience, spending alone is unlikely to set the leaders apart,” says Scott Rigby, chief technology advisor, Adobe Asia Pacific and Japan.
See also: Younger consumers in Singapore more receptive towards AI agents
“With the rate of technological and social change [expected] to continue at the same or higher levels, developing the skills, agility, and innovation required to keep pace should remain a top strategic priority,” he adds.
More than a quarter of cyberattacks in 2021 targeted Asia
Asia was the most attacked region, experiencing over a quarter of the attacks that IBM observed globally last year. Financial services and manufacturing organisations together experienced nearly 60% of attacks in the region.
See also: Nearly four in five Apac retailers will increase their tech investment in 2025
Phishing was the most common cause of cyberattacks in general in 2021, according to the 2022 IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence Index. In X-Force Red’s penetration tests, the click rate in its phishing campaigns tripled when combined with phone calls.
There was also a 33% increase in attacks caused by vulnerability exploitation of unpatched software, a point of entry that ransomware actors relied on more than any other to carry out their attacks. The two most exploited vulnerabilities observed in 2021 were found in widely used enterprise applications such as Microsoft Exchange and Apache Log4J Library.
The report also warns of the pending cyber crisis in the cloud. Cybercriminals are laying the groundwork to target cloud environments, evident from the 146% increase in new Linux ransomware code. They are also shifting their targeting to containers like Docker to maximise their ROI with malware that can cross platforms and can be used as a jumping-off point to other components of their victims’ infrastructure.
“The attack surface is only growing larger. Instead of operating under the assumption that every vulnerability in their environment has been patched, businesses should operate under an assumption of compromise and enhance their vulnerability management with a zero trust strategy,” says Charles Henderson, head of IBM X-Force.
IN PICTURE
Photo: WeWork
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Organisations today can make remote interactions more engaging than a two-dimensional video call through HoloPresence at WeWork.
Using cutting-edge technology developed by ARHT Media, HoloPresence can capture and beam one or more presenters to appear live in another location in high-quality and low latency. The person will appear in life-size proportions as lifelike 3D holograms that can interact with audiences and even other holograms.
HoloPresence can also project one presenter in several WeWork venues simultaneously. This can reduce the time needed to travel to participate in off-site meetings or events, providing a solution for scheduling conflicts or travel restrictions.
DIGITAL LIFE
It is International Women’s Day on March 8. Learn more about the achievements of women across the globe and industries, and how we can create a more inclusive workplace through these podcasts.
Not only men are interested in science and tech topics such as quantum computing, biotech, and game design. The CurIOus Podcast uncovers the secrets behind the success of female leaders in those industries and how they are contributing to the advancement of their respective fields.
Launched late last year, KopiTalk is a series of conversations by Lean In Network Singapore that looks at the progress of gender equality in the workplace. The discussions revolve around different themes that are top of mind for women who are in various stages of their careers
The reworked: The Diversity and Inclusion podcast features discussions with CEOs, activists, diversity and inclusion practitioners and HR leaders. Tune in to find out the best practices and well-being tips that can help you redesign your workplace culture to become more inclusive.
Main photo: Unsplash
