Group-IB celebrates triumph at Top Women in Security ASEAN Awards 2024: Anastasia Tikhonova and Ha Hai Phan win Country Awards, with Vesta Matveeva and Sharmine Low among top 30 finalists

Group-IB, a leading creator of cybersecurity technologies to investigate, prevent, and fight digital crime, is proud to announce that Anastasia Tikhonova, Technical Head – Attack Surface Management, Threat Intelligence, and Digital Risk Protection (Asia Pacific); and Ha Hai Phan, Cyber Investigation Specialist, have both clinched the prestigious Top Women in Security ASEAN Region Award 2024 for Thailand and Vietnam respectively. Additionally, Vesta Matveeva, APAC Head of Cyber Crime Investigation, and Sharmine Low, Malware Analyst, were recognized among the top 30 finalists in the region.

Top Women in Security ASEAN Awards 2024

Group-IB’s winners and finalists at the annual Top Women in Security ASEAN Awards 2024 From left: Anastasia Tikhonova, Ha Hai Phan, Vesta Matveeva, and Sharmine Low

All of them have played a pivotal role in pioneering groundbreaking research in threat intelligence, high-tech crime investigations, and malware analysis at Group-IB. They have been at the forefront of monitoring and analyzing the evolving Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) of global threat actors, meticulously tracking their newly created infrastructures. Their extensive work in malware research has not only advanced local and international law enforcement operations but also strengthened global and regional cybersecurity. In addition to their investigative contributions, they have generously shared their expertise with industry and educational institutions, enriching the cybersecurity community and enhancing collective defense against emerging threats.

The Top Women in Security ASEAN Awards are dedicated to honoring outstanding women who have made significant contributions to the field of cybersecurity. This year’s awards highlight the exceptional achievements of women across the ASEAN region, showcasing their leadership, innovation, and dedication to enhancing security. The Top 30 Women in Security ASEAN Region Awards form part of a global campaign by the Women in Security & Resilience Alliance (WISECRA), and underscores the importance of diversity and leadership in the cybersecurity industry.

“For me, being named a Top Woman in Security ASEAN 2024 represents more than just an award. It’s about breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and proving that women have a powerful place in cybersecurity. Every day, we bring passion and determination to shape the future of this field. We push the limits of what’s possible, drive innovation, and make our digital world safer. Beyond our work, we’re inspiring others and creating space for more women to enter and thrive in this industry. By advocating for diversity and inclusion, we’re demonstrating that women belong at every level, from entry to leadership, and building a stronger, more secure future for everyone.”

Anastasia Tikhonova
Anastasia Tikhonova

Technical Head – Attack Surface Management, Threat Intelligence, and Digital Risk Protection (Asia Pacific)

“Being named one of the Top 30 Women in Security ASEAN 2024 as Vietnam’s representative for Group-IB is a profound honor. Collaborating with past award winners at Group-IB has greatly inspired and expanded my skills. As a young specialist, I look forward to further strengthening our partnership with Vietnamese law enforcement in the battle against cybercrime.”

Ha Hai Phan
Ha Hai Phan

Cyber Investigation Specialist

“We are immensely proud of Anastasia, Ha Phan, Vesta, and Sharmine for their remarkable achievements and recognition at the Top Women in Security ASEAN Awards 2024. These awards are a testament to their relentless dedication and contributions to the field of cybersecurity. We believe that recognizing and nurturing exceptional talent, and empowering women in cybersecurity is crucial to driving the industry forward and addressing the complex challenges of the digital age. As we celebrate these outstanding achievements, we remain committed to supporting and advancing the careers of talented professionals in the field.”

Dmitry Volkov
Dmitry Volkov

CEO of Group-IB

“We are celebrating the fifth year of these awards and each year it is inspiring to recognise and give voice to the diversity of roles and degree of contribution that women are making to the security domain across the Southeast Asian region. This year we have appreciated the support of Group-IB in not just nominating the women within their teams but also supporting us to hold events to celebrate these achievements. Group-IB has consistently displayed leadership in supporting and promoting diversity and their team members deserve the recognition in being award winners and finalists in what was a very high calibre cohort of nominations.”

Chris Cubbage
Chris Cubbage

Director & Executive Editor, MySecurity Media, and organizer of the Top Women in Security ASEAN Awards 2024

About Group-IB

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Singapore, Group-IB is a leading creator of cybersecurity technologies to investigate, prevent, and fight digital crime. Combating cybercrime is in the company’s DNA, shaping its technological capabilities to defend businesses, citizens, and support law enforcement operations.

Group-IB’s Digital Crime Resistance Centers (DCRCs) are located in the Middle East, Europe, Central Asia, and Asia-Pacific to help critically analyze and promptly mitigate regional and country-specific threats. These mission-critical units help Group-IB strengthen its contribution to global cybercrime prevention and continually expand its threat-hunting capabilities.

Group-IB’s decentralized and autonomous operational structure helps it offer tailored, comprehensive support services with a high level of expertise. We map and mitigate adversaries’ tactics in each region, delivering customized cybersecurity solutions tailored to risk profiles and requirements of various industries, including retail, healthcare, gambling, financial services, manufacturing, crypto, and more.

The company’s global security leaders work in synergy with some of the industry’s most advanced technologies to offer detection and response capabilities that eliminate cyber disruptions agilely.

Group-IB’s Unified Risk Platform (URP) underpins its conviction to build a secure and trusted cyber environment by utilizing intelligence-driven technology and agile expertise that completely detects and defends against all nuances of digital crime. The platform proactively protects organizations’ critical infrastructure from sophisticated attacks while continuously analyzing potentially dangerous behavior all over their network.

The comprehensive suite includes the world’s most trusted Threat Intelligence, The most complete Fraud Protection, AI-powered Digital Risk Protection, Multi-layered protection with Managed Extended Detection and Response (XDR), All-infrastructure Business Email Protection, and External Attack Surface Management.

Furthermore, Group-IB’s full-cycle incident response and investigation capabilities have consistently elevated industry standards. This includes the 77,000+ hours of cybersecurity incident response completed by our sector-leading DFIR Laboratory, more than 1,400 successful investigations completed by the High-Tech Crime Investigations Department, and round-the-clock efforts of CERT-GIB.

Time and again, its solutions and services have been revered by leading advisory and analyst agencies such as Aite Novarica, Gartner®, Forrester, Frost & Sullivan, KuppingerCole Analysts AG, and more.

Being an active partner in global investigations, Group-IB collaborates with international law enforcement organizations such as INTERPOL, EUROPOL and AFRIPOL to create a safer cyberspace. Group-IB is also a member of the Europol European Cybercrime Centre’s (EC3) Advisory Group on Internet Security, which was created to foster closer cooperation between Europol and its leading non-law enforcement partners.