Kaspersky reports surge in phishing and mobile malware

Kaspersky has sounded the alarm on a sharp rise in financial cyberthreats, with its 2024 Financial Cyberthreats report unveiling a 3.6-fold increase in mobile banking Trojan attacks.

From 69,200 users hit in 2023, the figure soared to 247,949 last year, spotlighting a shift to mobile devices as prime targets for crooks.

The report, packed with data from Kaspersky’s security network, also flags an 83.4% jump in crypto-related phishing attempts, rocketing to 10.7 million detections.

It’s a stark warning: as digital wallets and smartphones dominate finance, cybercriminals are cashing in.

What Kaspersky uncovered in 2024

Mobile malware turned savage in 2024. The Mamont Trojan led the pack, snaring 36.7% of attacks with scams ranging from fake shops to dodgy delivery apps.

Türkiye topped the hit list, with 5.7% of users stung, up nearly 3 points from 2023.

Olga Svistunova, a senior analyst at Kaspersky, didn’t mince words.

“Financial phishing hit new heights of cunning,” she said.

“Fraudsters fake brands to nab data, and smartphones are their goldmine.”

Banks bore the brunt, with 42.6% of phishing lures mimicking them.

Amazon topped online store scams at 33.2%, while PayPal’s share of payment system attacks dropped to 37.5%. Mastercard, though, saw attacks nearly double to 30.5%.

Crypto scams exploded too. Kaspersky blocked 10.7 million attempts, up from 5.8 million in 2023. It’s clear—digital coins are a crook’s dream.

Next, PC malware shifted gears. Users hit fell to 199,204 from 312,453, but crypto theft spiked. Grandoreiro, a banking Trojan, targeted 1,700 banks and 276 crypto wallets across 45 countries.

Also, social engineering got craftier. Fake stores and tracking apps lured victims into traps, proving crooks play dirty and smart.

Why Kaspersky sees trouble ahead

The numbers don’t lie—mobile attacks surged in 2024’s second half. Indonesia and India saw rises to 2.7% and 2.4% of users affected, respectively.

Even PC threats, though down, zeroed in on crypto assets, not banks.

Svistunova predicts worse to come.

“Phishing will get personal,” she warned.

“It’ll exploit daily habits, demanding sharper defences.” Think fake Netflix pages (up to 16%) or Alibaba scams (now 8%).

Also, Kaspersky spotted SparkCat, a screenshot-stealing malware, sneaking past App Store and Google Play checks.

It’s a rare breach, but 20 infected apps prove even “safe” stores falter.

Finally, countries like Turkmenistan (8.8%) and Tajikistan (6.2%) led PC malware hits. It’s a global mess, and Kaspersky’s data shows no corner’s spared.

Kaspersky’s 2024 report lays bare a cybercrime boom—mobile Trojans up 3.6 times, crypto phishing soaring 83.4%.

From Moscow, they’re urging multi-factor authentication and vigilance to outwit fraudsters.

The fix? Strong passwords, legit apps, and tools like Kaspersky’s own. As digital finance grows, so does the fight.

Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.