Hong Kong experienced a record surge in cyberattacks last year, marking the highest number of incidents in five years. Hackers are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen their methods, according to the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT).
The agency reported a spike of 12,536 cybersecurity incidents in 2024, a dramatic increase of 62% from 7,752 cases in 2023. Phishing attacks dominated these incidents, with cases more than doubling from 3,752 in 2023 to 7,811 last year.
AI is aiding in improving phishing campaign effectiveness. Attackers can now use AI tools to create extremely realistic fake emails and websites that even the most skeptical eye cannot easily distinguish from their legitimate counterparts.
Alex Chan Chung-man, a digital transformation leader at HKCERT, commented that phishing attacks targeted the majority of cases for banking, financial, and payment systems, almost 25% of the total cases. Social media, including WhatsApp and messaging apps, was another main target, 22% of the total cases.
AI allows scammers to create flawless phishing messages and generate fake website links that mimic trusted services,” Chan explained. This efficiency has led to a sharp rise in phishing links, with over 48,000 malicious URLs identified last year—an increase of 1.5 times compared to 2023.
Hackers are also targeting other essential services such as healthcare and utilities. A notable case involved
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