Number of cyber threat incidents reported to CyberSecurity Malaysia 2023, by type

In 2022, online frauds were the most reported cyber threat incidents announced by Cybersecurity Malaysia with more than four thousand reports. This was followed by malicious codes with more than one thousand cases. CyberSecurity Malaysia is a government agency that deals with internet safety and operates under the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Risks of scams in e-commerce

The number of Malaysian internet users reached more than 33 million in 2023 and was estimated to surpass 35 million by 2029. As a result, there is also a significant increase in e-commerce activities. According to a 2023 survey, around 70 percent of Malaysians stated that online shopping was one of their leading internet activities. Meanwhile, the number of e-commerce scams in the country reached more than 8,800 incidents as of September 2023. 

Low awareness of cybersafety

Although around 40 percent of Malaysian internet users have experienced cybercrime, only 18.9 percent reported these crimes to the authorities. The majority of those who fell victim to cyberattacks chose not to escalate the matter or did not take any further actions to protect themselves. Thus, more awareness on cybersafety among Malaysian internet users is still needed.