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Mobile attacks are on the rise, according to a report by cybersecurity firm Check Point Software Technologies Ltd
According to Check Point’s 2021 Mobile Security Report, “the move to mass remote working during the Coivd-19 pandemic saw the mobile attack surface expand dramatically.”
97 per cent of organisations in 2020 faced mobile threats that used multiple attack vectors.
Almost every organisation experienced at least one mobile malware attack in 2020. 93 per cent of these attacks originated in a device network, which attempts to trick users into installing a malicious payload via infected websites or URLs, or to steal users’ credentials, the report said.
Mobile malware
In India, there has been a staggering 845 per cent increase in mobile attacks since October 2020. The total number of mobile attacks in India in Oct 2020 was 1345. The total number of mobile attacks in India in March 2021 was 12719, as per Check Point.
Globally, 46 per cent of organisations had at least one employee download a malicious mobile application that threatened their organization’s networks and data in 2020. Furthermore, as per Check Point’s Achilles research, at least 40 per cent of the world’s mobile devices are inherently vulnerable to cyberattacks due to flaws in their chipsets, and need urgent patching.
The report further noted the increase in mobile malware. In 2020, Check Point found a 15 per cent increase in banking Trojan activity. In such attacks, users’ mobile banking credentials are at risk of being stolen.
“Threat actors have been spreading mobile malware, including Mobile Remote Access Trojans (MRATs), banking trojans, and premium dialers, often hiding the malware in apps that claim to offer COVID-19 related information,” it said.
Advanced Persistent Threat groups are also targeting mobile devices.
“Individuals’ mobiles are a very attractive target for various APT groups, such as Iran’s Rampant Kitten, which has conducted elaborate and sophisticated targeted attacks to spy on users and steal sensitive data,” it explained.
“As we have seen in 2020, the mobile threat landscape has continued to expand with almost every organisation now having experienced an attack,” said Neatsun Ziv, VP Threat Prevention at Check Point Software.
“And there are more complex threats on the horizon. Cybercriminals are continuing to evolve and adapt their techniques to exploit our growing reliance on mobiles. Enterprises need to adopt mobile security solutions which seamlessly protect devices from today’s advanced cyber threats, and users should be careful to use only apps from official app stores to minimize their risk,” said Ziv.
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