Threats to mobile devices have tripled over the past year

A new report from Lookout shows that almost three times as many phishing, malicious, prohibited and offensive links were delivered to mobile devices than a year ago.

The Lookout Mobile Threat Report is powered by data from the Lookout Security Cloud, which analyzes data from over 220 million devices, 325 million applications, and billions of web items.

The report’s findings include that more than 20 percent of iOS users still use outdated versions, leaving their devices and data vulnerable to attacks. The most common device misconfigurations were outdated operating system (37.7 percent), device not locked (14.2 percent), outdated Android security patch levels (ASPL) (13.6 percent), and non-app store signer (2. 2 percent). percent).

The top ten mobile application vulnerabilities experienced by users in the first quarter of 2024 are found in mobile browser components. Attackers exploit these vulnerabilities via maliciously crafted web pages delivered via links. Since most mobile devices run Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge browsers, attackers target these browsers, hoping that users have not updated to patched versions.

“Looking at the first quarter of 2024, this report summarizes our findings and confirms that mobile threats have moved from the margins to the forefront of modern cybersecurity strategies,” says David Richardson, vice president of endpoints and threat intelligence at Lookout . “Organizations must be prepared to respond quickly to address the rapid nature of today’s threats. As we navigate this landscape, Lookout is unrivaled in its understanding of the nuances of mobile security and how mobile attacks lead to threats to organizations.”

In April this year, Lookout conducted a survey of 250 U.S. CISOs and cybersecurity leaders that found that 97 percent of respondents believe that malicious mobile apps or broad mobile app permissions – such as access to contacts, text messages, camera and microphone – pose a threat to their organization and may result in the leakage of sensitive data. Over the last six months, 75 percent of organizations have experienced mobile phishing attempts targeting their employees.

The full report is available on the Lookout website.

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