Telecommunications powers everything from emergency services and financial systems to AI-driven innovations and smart cities. But with this central role comes unprecedented exposure — making telecoms a top target in a cyber-threat landscape that’s expanding as fast as the technology it seeks to undermine.
In Q1 2025, the telecommunications sector witnessed a staggering 94 percent surge in weekly cyber attacks, reaching an average of 2,664 incidents per organization, according to Check Point Research. This spike reflects a growing global trend: cyber attackers are increasingly shifting focus from stealing data to compromising the very infrastructure that connects society. And with telecom revenues expected to grow at a slower 2.9 percent CAGR through 2028 — below inflation — rising cyber risks and compliance costs could severely erode profitability and long-term sustainability.
A key vulnerability stems from the sheer scale and complexity of digital transformation in the sector. The rollout of 5G networks, expansion of edge computing, and massive reliance on interconnected cloud platforms have greatly widened the attack surface. Telecoms are no longer isolated service providers; they are complex ecosystems, deeply integrated into national defense, emergency management, and economic operations. A single disruption could cascade into widespread service failures.
Geopolitical tensions are further amplifying the threat. The World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 identifies telecom infrastructure — especially undersea cables and satellite links—as a prime target for espionage and sabotage. The cables that underpin global internet traffic are particularly exposed, with limited protective mechanisms in place. In South Asia, India has seen an uptick in cyber incidents linked to Pakistani groups like APT36 and Team Insane PK, involving everything from ransomware to data breaches and defacements targeting telecom companies.
The growing weaponization of telecom infrastructure underscores the sector’s strategic importance. ENISA, the EU’s cybersecurity agency, now ranks telecommunications among the highest-priority critical infrastructure sectors, a classification echoed by over 85 countries. This is more than recognition—it’s a call to arms for telecoms to adopt robust, forward-looking cybersecurity strategies.
At the center of this digital transformation—and its associated risks—is artificial intelligence. AI is now deeply embedded in telecom operations. A KPMG India report from 2024 noted that 55 percent of Indian telcos have already deployed AI at scale, with another 37 percent actively expanding implementation. According to Nvidia, nearly 90 percent of telecom companies globally are using AI, with many in the pilot or deployment phases. Generative AI is particularly seen as a long-term growth enabler, cited by 65 percent of Indian CXOs.
But AI is a double-edged sword. Just as telecom providers use AI to optimize networks, enhance customer service, and automate operations, cybercriminals are using the same tools to orchestrate more precise, scalable, and undetectable attacks. A stark example came in 2024, when a British multinational was conned out of $25 million in Hong Kong through a deepfake video scam involving synthetic impersonation of senior executives—demonstrating the high stakes of AI misuse.
With AI-powered customer service bots on the rise, attackers are also exploring prompt injection and social engineering techniques to manipulate conversations or steal data. These AI-specific vulnerabilities require entirely new lines of defense, such as red teaming AI systems, real-time audio verification using voice biometrics, and continuous threat exposure analysis.
Governments are starting to respond. In India, the newly introduced Telecommunications (Telecom Cyber Security) Rules, 2024 mandate all telecom operators to establish real-time Security Operations Centres (SOCs), report cyber incidents within six hours, and appoint Chief Telecommunication Security Officers (CTSO). These regulations replace outdated 2017 rules and signal a more aggressive stance toward telecom security. However, concerns persist over broad definitions, high compliance burdens, and alignment with existing IT and data privacy laws.
Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific, countries like Japan and Singapore are tightening their regulatory frameworks, with Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI) and Singapore’s Cybersecurity Act pushing critical infrastructure operators toward higher compliance and operational transparency.
Still, regulatory measures alone are insufficient. Telecom companies must go beyond compliance and treat cybersecurity as a strategic imperative. Key recommendations include:
AI red teaming to identify vulnerabilities in generative and predictive systems before adversaries do.
Voice biometrics and spoof detection to counteract deepfake-based social engineering.
Advanced threat prevention systems, such as Check Point GenAI Protect, AI Cloud Protect, and ThreatCloud AI, to defend across on-premise, cloud, and 5G edge environments.
Cloud-native threat detection and secure SD-WAN implementation, which in one Southeast Asian case reduced incident response times by 30 percent within six months.
In an environment where telcos serve as both enablers and guardians of digital civilization, resilience is fast becoming the new bandwidth. Connectivity alone is no longer enough — trust, security, and uninterrupted service are the pillars that will define the next generation of telecom success. Without robust cyber defenses, the risks extend beyond financial loss — to national security, public trust, and the very fabric of modern society.
By Sundar Balasubramanian, Managing Director, Check Point Software Technologies, India & South Asia
