Opening
Mobile Security Statistics: Mobiles have huge amounts of personal and corporate data, from banking details to login credentials, making them prime targets for threat actors. Stolen data can fuel identity fraud or online leaks, and both companies and consumers are rightly concerned. North America is the largest regional market for mobile security, while solutions lead by component. The banking, financial services, and insurance sector is projected to grow fastest, as financial institutions hold sensitive account, card, and payment data.
In 2026, mobiles are a common need for everyone, and Gen Z is among the groups most exposed to mobile threats, since smartphones now run their banking, gaming, social media, and work. Malwarebytes found that 58% of Gen Z have been targeted by extortion scams and 28% have been victims, with AI making fake voices and videos more convincing in sextortion, deepfake, and virtual kidnapping scams. Deloitte found Gen Z more than twice as likely as baby boomers to report falling for online scams, at 17% versus 7%.
In this article, you will explore the most recent mobile security threats, their market growth, and much more.
Key Facts by the Editor
- The global mobile security market is projected to grow from USD 6.1 billion in 2023 to USD 38.0 billion by 2033, a 20.10% CAGR.
- A Verizon survey of 670 security professionals found that 1 in 3 had a mobile security incident, and 64% reported downtime.
- Ransomware is linked to more than 40% of reported data breaches, with mobile devices a growing entry point.
- Mobile attacks reached 22,894,951 in the first half of 2025, 48% higher than the second half of 2024.
- Android users faced 29% more attacks in the first half of 2025 than in the first half of 2024.
- Mobile banking Trojan installations jumped from 24,748 in the first half of 2024 to 91,493 in the first half of 2025.
- Zimperium reported 34 active mobile-banking malware families targeting more than 1,200 financial applications worldwide.
- 58% of Gen Z have been targeted by extortion scams and 28% have been victims, according to Malwarebytes.
General Mobile Security Statistics
- A Verizon survey of 670 security professionals found that 1 out of 3 had experienced a security incident involving a mobile device.
- Among those affected, 47% said fixing the mobile security incident was difficult and expensive.
- Around 64% said the mobile security incident caused downtime and disrupted business operations.
- The need for stronger mobile security is increasing as more consumers use smartphones for online payments.
- Online bill payments made using smartphones are expected to reach approximately USD 6 billion worldwide by 2028.
- Hackers also target companies that allow employees to bring and use their own devices, commonly known as bring-your-own-device or BYOD policies.
- Personal devices may not have strong security controls, but they can still access company servers and sensitive databases. This gives cybercriminals more opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities and steal valuable business information.
- Cybercriminals often target trade secrets, internal company information, login details, and any other data they can sell for profit.
Global Mobile Security Market Growth
(Source: market.us)
- The global mobile security market is estimated to grow to USD 7.3 billion in 2024 and USD 8.8 billion in 2025.
- The market is projected to reach USD 10.5 billion in 2026, followed by USD 12.7 billion in 2027 and USD 15.2 billion in 2028.
- By 2033, the market is expected to be worth USD 38.0 billion.
- From 2024 to 2033, the global mobile security market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 20.10%.
Mobile Security by Use Case
| Use case | Common mobile exposure | Main breach concern | Validation priority |
| Fintech/banking | Account, payment, KYC, identity, and 2FA APIs. | Fraud, account takeover, payment abuse. | Mobile API, auth, runtime, and transaction logic testing. |
| Healthcare | PHI, patient portals, mobile records, telehealth APIs. | PHI leakage and privacy exposure. | Storage, API auth, data minimization, SDK review. |
| Retail / ecommerce | Checkout, loyalty, account, cart, coupon APIs. | ATO, payment abuse, coupon abuse. | Rate-limit, BOLA, business logic testing. |
| SaaS mobile apps | Multi-tenant mobile backends and admin workflows. | Tenant data exposure. | BOLA and tenant isolation testing. |
| Enterprise apps | Internal APIs, SSO, MDM, device trust. | Unauthorized access to company resources. | SSO, storage, device-state, and API testing. |
| Social / messaging | User content, media, contacts, location. | Privacy and data leakage. | Storage, API, privacy, and anti-tamper testing. |
| Travel/hospitality | Booking, identity, loyalty, payment flows. | Account and payment exposure. | Workflow and API abuse testing. |
Enterprise Mobile Security Threats in 2026
- In 2026, mobile devices are major targets because they often provide direct access to company cloud systems and valuable business data. Attackers increasingly use automation and AI to find weaknesses, craft convincing scams, and adapt quickly.
- Ransomware through mobile entry points is a major concern, as ransomware is linked to more than 40% of reported data breaches. Attackers can compromise mobile devices through phishing, text-message scams, malicious apps, or stolen login details and then use that access to attack connected company systems.
- AI-driven social engineering allows criminals to create realistic phishing messages, messaging-app impersonations, voice deepfakes, and QR-code scams. These attacks are easier to automate and more difficult for mobile users to recognize.
- Personal and unmanaged devices can expose company information when employees use them to access cloud applications and other business systems. Many of these devices may lack operating-system updates, encryption, endpoint protection, and other basic security controls.
- Password spraying and multi-factor authentication fatigue are 2 common identity attacks. Password spraying uses 1 common password across many accounts, while MFA fatigue floods a user’s phone with repeated approval requests until the user accidentally accepts one.
Growth in Mobile Attacks on Android Users
- As per Kaspersky, 17,798,485 attacks on mobile users worldwide during the first half of 2024.
- The number of attacks decreased to 15,466,596 in the second half of 2024.
- Mobile attacks then rose sharply to 22,894,951 in the first half of 2025.
- Android smartphone users faced 29% more attacks in the first half of 2025 than in the first half of 2024.
- The number of attacks in the first half of 2025 was 48% higher than in the second half of 2024.
- Major mobile threats detected in 2025 included SparkCat, SparkKitty, and Triada.
- Other threats included adult-content apps that could launch distributed denial-of-service attacks and VPN apps that intercepted login codes sent through text messages.
(Source: kaspersky.com)
Increasing Growth of Mobile Banking Trojans
- According to Kaspersky, 24,748 mobile banking Trojan installations worldwide in the first half of 2024.
- The number increased to 43,082 installations in the second half of 2024.
- In the first half of 2025, detected mobile banking Trojan installations rose sharply to 91,493.
(Reference: kaspersky.com)
Mobile Banking Trojans in 2025
- Trojan-Banker.AndroidOS.Mamont.da increased from 0.86% in 2024 to 15.65% in 2025. Its share rose by 14.79 percentage points, and it moved up 28 positions in the ranking.
- Trojan-Banker.AndroidOS.Mamont.db increased from 0.12% in 2024 to 13.41% in 2025, a rise of 13.29 percentage points.
- Trojan-Banker.AndroidOS.Coper.c grew from 7.19% in 2024 to 9.65% in 2025. Its share increased by 2.46 percentage points, and it climbed 2 positions.
- Trojan-Banker.AndroidOS.Mamont.bc declined from 10.03% in 2024 to 6.26% in 2025. Its share fell by 3.77 percentage points, and it dropped 3 positions.
- Trojan-Banker.AndroidOS.Mamont.ev rose from 0.00% in 2024 to 4.10% in 2025, an increase of 4.10 percentage points.
- Trojan-Banker.Android OS.Coper. decreased from 9.04% in 2024 to 4.00% in 2025. Its share fell by 5.04 percentage points, and it moved down 4 positions.
- Trojan-Banker.AndroidOS.Mamont.ek increased from 0.00% in 2024 to 3.73% in 2025, a rise of 3.73 percentage points.
- Trojan-Banker.AndroidOS.Mamont.cb grew from 0.64% in 2024 to 3.04% in 2025. Its share increased by 2.40 percentage points, and it climbed 26 positions.
(Source: kaspersky.com)
Types of Mobile Security Threats
- Viruses and Malware
- Phishing Attacks
- Unauthorized Physical Access
- Stolen Devices or Lost
- Public WiFi Risks
How to Secure Mobile Devices
- Enterprise mobility management: EMM combines tools and technologies that help companies manage how mobile and handheld devices are used for everyday business activities.
- Email security: Companies should monitor email traffic to protect mobile users from malware, identity theft, and phishing. Useful controls include antivirus software, anti-spam filters, image controls, and content filtering.
- Endpoint protection: Mobile devices, Internet of Things devices, and cloud-connected systems create more entry points for attackers. Endpoint security can include antivirus protection, data-loss prevention, encryption, and device-management tools.
- Virtual private network: A VPN creates a secure connection between a mobile device and a company’s private network over the public internet. It protects data by using authentication and privacy controls.
- Secure gateways: A secure gateway controls network connections and applies the same internet security and compliance rules to every user, regardless of location or device type. It also blocks unauthorized traffic from entering or leaving the company network.
- Cloud access security broker: A CASB sits between users and cloud service providers. It monitors cloud activity and applies security, compliance, and governance rules to the use of cloud-based resources.
Recent Developments in Mobile Security
- On October 29, 2025, Francisco Partners agreed to acquire Apple device-management and security company Jamf for about USD 2.2 billion, or USD 13.05 per share, representing a nearly 50% premium.
- On September 17, 2025, Samsung made its Knox Asset Intelligence integration with Microsoft Sentinel generally available, giving enterprises improved visibility into security threats affecting their mobile-device fleets.
- On March 2, 2026, Motorola announced a long-term partnership with the GrapheneOS Foundation to support future smartphones designed for compatibility with the security-focused mobile operating system.
- On March 18, 2026, Lookout disclosed the DarkSword exploit chain targeting iPhones running iOS 18.4 through iOS 18.6.2; its threat intelligence was based partly on the analysis of more than 567 million URLs.
- On March 19, 2026, Zimperium reported that 34 active mobile-banking malware families were targeting more than 1,200 financial applications worldwide.
- On May 6, 2026, Zimperium launched 2 AI-powered security products, Mobile SOC Agent and Mobile App Response Agent, designed to reduce mobile-threat investigation and response time from days to hours or minutes.
- On June 9, 2026, Zimperium partnered with ABC Distribution to expand access to its mobile-security technology across the United Kingdom amid rising mobile threats and AI-powered scams.
- On July 7, 2026, Zimperium researchers uncovered RedWing, an Android malware-as-a-service platform capable of compromising mobile devices and supporting multiple forms of cybercrime.
- On August 19, 2026, Zimperium uncovered ToxicPanda 2.0, an Android banking Trojan targeting 349 mobile applications worldwide.
Closing
Mobile security has become a business-critical priority as smartphones carry sensitive personal and corporate data. Attacks on Android users and mobile banking Trojans are rising sharply, while AI-driven scams and unmanaged personal devices widen enterprise risk.
The market is expanding steadily, with financial services, healthcare, and retail among the most exposed sectors. Organizations must combine device management, endpoint protection, secure gateways, and email security to keep mobile data protected.
FAQ
Mobile security refers to the practices and technologies used to protect smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices from threats such as malware, unauthorized access, data theft, and network-based attacks.
Mobile devices store large amounts of personal and financial data, and with growing use for banking, shopping, and work, they have become a common target for hackers, making strong mobile security essential to protect user privacy and prevent fraud.
Common threats include malware and spyware apps, phishing attacks through text messages and email, unsecured public Wi-Fi networks, outdated operating systems, and malicious links or fake apps designed to steal data.
Users can reduce malware risk by downloading apps only from official app stores, keeping the operating system and apps updated, avoiding suspicious links, and using a reputable mobile security app.
iPhones generally have stricter app store controls and a more closed ecosystem, which can reduce certain risks, while Android offers more customization but requires users to be more cautious about app sources and permissions. Both platforms can be secure when updated regularly and used responsibly.
Mobile device management is a system that allows organizations to monitor, secure, and manage employee devices remotely, enforce security policies, and protect company data if a device is lost, stolen, or compromised.
Two factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection by requiring a second verification step, such as a code sent to the device or a biometric scan, making it harder for attackers to access accounts even if a password is stolen.
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