Nearly half of SG firms have email security measures at highest level: report

However, a concerning 23.1% of Singapore companies lack any DMARC record, leaving them highly vulnerable.

Nearly half (46.2%) of Singapore companies have implemented Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) at the highest recommended level (reject), according to Proofpoint.

DMARC is widely-adopted email validation protocol records of Asia Pacific companies listed on the Forbes Global 2000, which provides essential protection against email fraud and domain spoofing.

However, a concerning 23.1% of Singapore companies lack any DMARC record, leaving them highly vulnerable to email-based attacks such as phishing and business email compromise, the firm pointed out.

Across the broader Asia Pacific region, Singapore’s adoption rate of 46.2% places it ahead of many of its neighbors.

Despite Singapore’s relatively strong position, the 23.1% gap leaves a notable portion of businesses exposed, undermining cyber resilience across critical sectors.

The threat landscape in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region is becoming increasingly hostile, with phishing attacks surging by nearly 60% year-over-year in 2024, marking a record-high level of email threats.

To address these pressing issues, Proofpoint recommends that Singapore businesses take immediate and decisive action. First, organisations should implement DMARC at the reject level to secure their domains from impersonation and email fraud.

Second, businesses must invest in employee education, ensuring that staff can identify and respond appropriately to fraudulent emails.

Lastly, strengthening password management policies by enforcing strong, unique passwords across all accounts is critical in reducing vulnerabilities and safeguarding against breaches.