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Security is the top consideration for companies in Asia when choosing their cloud strategy and cloud vendors, according to a survey released by global research firm Nielsen IQ on Wednesday.

Over 70% of private cloud users and 70% of hybrid cloud users say they choose their current cloud adoption strategy primarily due to security considerations, the results revealed. That figure stood at 58% for public cloud users.

The survey, commissioned by Alibaba Group’s cloud computing unit Alibaba Cloud, was based on responses from 1,000 companies in a range of sectors across eight markets in Asia.

“We understand the potential impact that cybersecurity incidents can have on businesses, regardless of their size,” said Jiang Jiangwei, senior researcher and general manager of infrastructure products at Alibaba Cloud, in a statement.

More than two-thirds of respondents say security outweighs factors such as availability and costs in cloud vendor selection.

The Asia Pacific region has the highest share of cyberattacks during 2022, accounting for 31% of all incidents globally, ahead of Europe at 28% and North America at 25%, according to the latest X-Force Threat Intelligence Index by IBM Security.

Security will be a growing focus moving forward as cloud adoption in the Asia Pacific region accelerates.

Overall all cloud spending in the Asia Pacific is expected to reach US$200 billion by 2024, with investment into the cloud growing at a compound annual growth rate of over 20% since 2018, the Boston Consulting Group estimates.

Embracing the Cloud

Migrating to the cloud brings greater operational efficiency to companies, according to the survey commissioned by Alibaba Cloud.

Over 70% of hybrid cloud users saw increased operational efficiency through cloud adoption, while 62% of public cloud users and 60% of private cloud users reported similar effects.

Public cloud users also reported business continuity, better support for remote workers and improved security and risk management as the other major benefits of cloud adoption.

Businesses across the Asia Pacific region are increasingly seeking reliable and secure cloud solutions with local support, according to Jiang, and the survey results agree.

Over one-third of businesses reported using Asia-based cloud vendors.

Thailand has the highest percentage of businesses among the eight markets in Asia using Asia-based vendors, the survey found.

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