Heaptalk, Jakarta — Releasing its annual Financial Threats Report for 2023, Kaspersky unveiled mobile banking trojan attacks against Android users surged by 32%. The most common banking Trojan is Bian.h, which accounts for 22% of all Android attacks.
The cybersecurity firm recorded the highest number of users encountering banking Trojans in Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. Meanwhile, Turkey leads mobile banking malware attacks, with 2.98% of users affected.
On the other hand, the number of users affected by financial PC malware dropped by 11% in 2023. In this report, Kaspersky identified Ramnit and Zbot as the most dominant malware families, targeting more than 50% of affected users. Consumers remained the primary target, accounting for 61.2% of all attacks.
PayPal is most frequently targeted by e-shop phishing
In 2023, financial phishing was still a significant threat, accounting for 27.32% of all phishing attacks against corporate users and 30.68% against individual users. Prominent e-store brands were identified as the main attraction, with 41.65% of phishing attempts detected.
Additionally, PayPal phishing accounts for 54.78% of phishing pages targeting users of electronic payment systems. The report also highlights 16% year-on-year growth in crypto-asset-related phishing, with 5.84 million detections in 2023 compared to 5.04 million in 2022.
E-shop phishing was identified as the most common, accounting for 41.65% of all financial phishing pages. Amazon emerged as the most imitated online store, accounting for 34% of phishing attempts, followed by Apple at 18.66% and Netflix at 14.71%. PayPal was the most targeted payment system, with 54.73% of attacks.
Imitating crypto asset exchanges
As crypto-related phishing and scams continue to grow, Kaspersky has prevented 5,838,499 attempts to follow crypto-themed phishing links, an increase of 16% compared to 2022. Fraudsters imitate crypto-asset exchanges and offer coins in the name of large companies such as Apple.
According to Kaspersky security expert Igor Golovin, money has always been a magnet for cybercriminals, and most malware attacks are financially motivated. The surge in mobile malware last year highlights a worrying cybercrime trend.
“As new and increasingly sophisticated types of malware emerge, attackers are evolving their tactics to target mobile devices more aggressively. This underscores the importance for individuals and businesses to increase vigilance, update protective measures, and strengthen the security of their devices,” concluded Golovin.
