7 in 10
Small businesses in APAC have been threatened by a cyber incident
Global cyber attacks takes place in the region
The APAC Cybersecurity Fund is an initiative by The Asia Foundation, supported by Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, designed to build inclusive and sustainable cybersecurity ecosystems across the Asia-Pacific. Through cyber hygiene training, policy research, and stakeholder engagement, the program helps micro and small businesses, nonprofits, and social enterprises strengthen their cyber resilience. It also invests in long-term capacity by establishing more than 20 university-based cyber clinics to expand outreach and develop the region’s cybersecurity workforce. The initiative spans across 13 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Participants trained to-date
Organisations trained across 13 countries
MSMEs
NGOs, NPOs & others
Cyber clinic students trained
University-based cyber clinics across Asia Pacific
Balanced participation across ACF trainings
Luong Hue manages Dato, a social enterprise in Vietnam that works with over 500 ethnic minority households producing herbs and spices. At first, she believed cybersecurity was mainly for larger corporations, while her priority was learning digital tools for marketing. But after nearly losing important customer data, she felt vulnerable and joined the APAC Cybersecurity Fund training. There, she discovered that even small vulnerabilities could endanger her business and her partners. She learned to identify phishing attempts, enable two-factor authentication, and introduce safer file-sharing practices for her staff. With these changes, she not only strengthened her business security but also held internal sessions to share lessons with her team. Today, Hue sees cybersecurity as an essential foundation for growth and sustainability, ensuring that her enterprise and its partner households can thrive safely in the digital economy.
Jesmin Begum runs Jihad Store, a small business in Khulna, Bangladesh. She often relied on Gmail for communication and bKash for payments but had little awareness of how weak passwords left her accounts exposed. The risk made her anxious, especially as she began to expand her business online. Motivated to protect herself, Jesmin joined the APAC Cybersecurity Fund training. She realized that cybersecurity was not just for large companies, but for entrepreneurs like her too. Through the program, Jesmin learned to create stronger, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication. These simple steps gave her confidence to manage her digital tools safely. Since then, she has become a mentor to other women in her community, teaching them how to secure their accounts and avoid scams. Today, Jesmin describes the training as a source of peace of mind, allowing her to focus on serving her customers without fear.
Josna Akter, an e-commerce business owner from Rajshahi, once received a call claiming she had won a large cash prize. The caller, posing as a bank official, demanded her mobile wallet PIN to “process” the reward. Excited but unsure, Josna almost shared her details before realizing it could be a scam. This experience left her shaken and motivated to join the APAC Cybersecurity Fund training. Before the session, Josna believed she had little control over such fraud, but she soon discovered practical ways to protect herself. She learned to identify phishing calls, block suspicious numbers, and strengthen her account security. With new knowledge, she confidently avoided future scams and even started warning her neighbors and fellow business owners about similar tricks. Today, Josna calls the training a turning point—what could have been a costly mistake became an opportunity to build confidence and share protection strategies with her community.
