KnowBe4 expands Asia push amid rising email threats

KnowBe4 is expanding its presence in Asia following a series of cloud email security launch events in Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines, citing rising demand for email security tools in the region.

The latest event in Singapore focused on the growing use of artificial intelligence in email-based attacks. Discussions covered social engineering, business email compromise, and the way attackers combine email with text messages and QR codes. The regional events drew senior cybersecurity, risk and IT leaders, reflecting shared concern about increasingly tailored and automated threats.

The expansion follows stronger interest in KnowBe4's cloud email security products. It also forms part of broader investment in regional teams, local expertise and customer growth across Asia as the company seeks to deepen its foothold in the market.

Risk trends

Figures presented at the Singapore event highlighted the scale of concern among security leaders. According to KnowBe4, 95% of Chief Information Security Officers believe client and corporate data is at risk on email, while 93% of organisations have experienced an outbound email data breach.

Another finding presented at the event was that 84% of sessions in KnowBe4's State of Human Risk 2025 focused on executive-level frameworks for managing human risk. The emphasis suggests companies are treating employee behaviour and decision-making as a central part of their security posture, especially as automated attacks become harder to distinguish from legitimate communications.

Regional threat picture

KnowBe4 described Asia as one of the fastest-growing cyber threat environments, particularly for attacks that rely on deception rather than direct technical compromise. In this setting, email remains a key route for fraud, data loss and unauthorised access, especially when criminals use stolen credentials and generative artificial intelligence to make messages appear authentic.

The company's assessment points to a shift away from large-scale spam campaigns towards more targeted attacks crafted around individual roles, business processes and communication habits. By blending channels such as email, SMS and QR codes, attackers can create a more convincing chain of contact and increase the likelihood of a response.

At the events, KnowBe4 demonstrated products for inbound and outbound cloud email security, alongside what it described as collaboration security tools. The demonstrations highlighted behavioural detection, real-time user feedback, and outbound data protection designed to reduce email-related risks tied to employees and other users.

That approach reflects a broader trend in cybersecurity, as vendors try to address not only malicious messages entering an organisation but also the risk of sensitive information leaving through error, misuse or compromised accounts. Outbound email breaches in particular have drawn greater attention from regulated industries and companies handling client data across borders.

KnowBe4 said its growth in Asia is being supported by an expanding regional workforce and investment aimed at addressing local threat patterns, workforce behaviour and regulatory requirements. Localisation has become increasingly important for security firms operating in Asia, where data rules, language needs and threat patterns vary significantly between markets.

KnowBe4 has built much of its profile around security awareness and human risk management, and its latest push in email security suggests it is seeking a larger role in the operational side of cyber defence. The expansion comes as organisations across the region reassess how they protect communications systems that remain central to day-to-day business activity.

Security shift

A key theme running through the launch series was the role of both human users and automated systems in security planning.

"Asia continues to be one of the fastest-growing threat landscapes globally, particularly when it comes to social engineering and business email compromise," said Dr Kawin Boonyapredee, CISO Advisor, KnowBe4.

"During our conversations with security leaders across Asia, the consensus was clear: securing email today requires a fundamental shift in how we view the attack surface. We must move beyond outdated models and focus on protecting the entire modern workforce by understanding how both employees and AI interact with their digital environments. That is exactly why we are focused on equipping organisations with the versatile tools they need to bridge the gap between technology and behaviour, helping them build stronger defenses against what comes next," added Boonyapredee.