Hackers increasingly have it easier to attack our mobile phones and I’m not saying this, but rather a specialized analysis that offers statistics on attacks on smartphones in 2023. A report that places Spain as one of the favorite targets of cybercriminals.
The report is carried out annually by the security company known as Kaspersky and contains an extensive list of data on threat activity on mobile phones. This information that we detail below reveals the security of smartphones given the increase in hacker attacks, since it seems that the privacy tools of the devices are not enough to alleviate the threats that circulate on the network.
Attacks increase by 52%
The Kaspersky document carries out an annual analysis of activity by cybercriminals, emphasizing the importance of security to stop mobile hacking. 2023 was a tough period for cybersecurity, since there has been a 52% increasewhich means about 34 million attacks throughout the year.
A figure very far from the little more than 20 million registered in 2022. In Spain, some 220,000 attacks have been registered to smartphones of the 34 million mentioned above, that is, it does not reach 1% of the total, but it continues to be a worrying figure.
The most common method hackers use is use malicious applications either on official platforms such as the Play Store or in APK form external to common Android stores. There are precisely many occasions in which MovilZona has shared a list of applications that have been infected with malware and that seek to obtain the user’s personal information, such as name and phone number. Both data are subsequently used to carry out telephone fraud with suspicious calls. Mention is also made in the analysis of modifications to apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram that were designed to steal user information. But the truth is that the most widespread threat among hackers were the so-called adwarewhich arise through the unwanted pop-up ads. The positive thing about all this is that the use of banking Trojans decreased compared to 2022.
In summary, Kaspersky Mobile Security expert known as Anton Kivva states the following:
‘The increase in malware and riskware activity for Android throughout 2023 represents a worrying change after a period of relative calm. Reaching levels at the end of the year reminiscent of those at the beginning of 2021, this rebound highlights the risks faced by users. Therefore, it is important to remember to remain alert and implement robust security measures to protect against constantly evolving cyber threats.’
Recommendations to avoid attacks
Kaspersky’s own experts give a series of tips for those who want keep your mobile safe and proof of any threat. They are basic instructions that anyone can follow and that are very useful for having your phone hacked.
- Download apps from official stores: these are not always safe, but there are mechanisms and filters that ensure this beforehand.
- Pay attention to the permissions of the applications and those they request.
- Use a reliable security mechanism, such as an antivirus.
- Keep the operating system and applications updated.