Kaspersky has reported a sharp 86% increase in gaming-related cyberthreats detected on user devices across Southeast Asia in the second half of 2025, with popular titles including Minecraft, Roblox, and Genshin Impact among the most frequently exploited.

Singapore mirrored the regional trend, recording a 22% rise in such threats over the same period. The findings highlight a growing pattern of cybercriminals targeting young gamers as an entry point into household networks.

Country-level breakdown

Vietnam and Thailand experienced the steepest increases in the region, at 202.5% and 104.4% respectively. Singapore and Malaysia followed with increases of 22.1% and 21.3%. Indonesia bucked the regional trend in terms of growth rate, though Kaspersky warns that the threat level there remains significant.

How attackers exploit popular games

Kaspersky’s data points to the highly customisable nature of games like Minecraft and Roblox as a key enabler for attackers. In the case of Minecraft, cybercriminals distribute malware and potentially unwanted applications disguised as cheats or mods — a common behaviour among players seeking to personalise their experience. For Roblox, threat actors create fraudulent websites promising exclusive in-game items such as rare character skins, which are used to steal personal and financial credentials.

Risks extend beyond the individual gamer

Kaspersky warns that the impact of these attacks often extends beyond the young gamer to the wider household. Children may inadvertently share sensitive information such as parents’ credit card details or home addresses, which can be used for financial theft or to facilitate social engineering attacks targeting other family members. Malware downloaded on shared devices can also compromise the data of all users on that device.

“We continue to observe a heightening intensity of gaming-related cyberthreats targeted at young children, as cybercriminals attempt to exploit their high levels of digital connectivity and their excitement around popular games and personalised experiences to launch their malicious campaigns. What is especially concerning is that these threats endanger not only the cyber safety of our young gamers, but also that of their households, as they act as entry points to the wider family network.” — Choon Hong Chee, Head of Consumer Channel for APAC, Kaspersky

Recommended safeguards for families

• Avoid installing applications from untrusted sources or clicking links from unknown senders.
• Verify links before clicking, and only proceed if the destination is confirmed as safe.
• Run regular malware scans on personal and shared devices.
• Begin cybersecurity education with children early, using resources.
• Ensure children use unique, periodically changed passwords for gaming accounts.
• Install a trusted security solution on children’s devices.
• Consider dedicated parental control tools to monitor screen time and filter inappropriate content.