India has become the most targeted country for mobile malware attacks, surpassing the United States and Canada, according to a report by Zscaler ThreatLabz. The 2024 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report, published on Tuesday, analyzed a staggering 20 billion mobile threat transactions between June 2023 and May 2024, revealing that India accounted for 28 percent of global mobile malware attacks. This marks a sharp rise from its previous ranking, pushing it ahead of the US at 27.3 percent and Canada at 15.9 percent.
The findings come at a time when cyber threats are on the rise in India, with rapid digitalization creating a playground for sophisticated cybercriminals. A separate report noted a 158 per cent increase in financial losses through device-based scams in Delhi alone, with Rs 452 crore stolen in the first six months of 2024. These numbers highlight the urgent need for Indian organizations to strengthen their cybersecurity measures.
Phishing scams target banking users.
The report also shed light on the increasing prevalence of phishing scams in India, particularly targeting mobile users of some of the country’s top private banks. Cybercriminals have been leveraging realistic fake banking websites to trick users into sharing sensitive information, such as login credentials and bank details. This trend underscores the evolving tactics used by attackers to exploit digital vulnerabilities.
In the Asia-Pacific region, India has become the focal point of mobile malware attacks, accounting for 66.5 percent of such incidents. The scale of these threats showcases the urgent need for businesses to adopt advanced security frameworks to safeguard their digital and operational assets.
India improves in mitigating outbound threats
While India has faced an alarming rise in mobile malware attacks, it has progressed in mitigating outbound cyber threats. The country now ranks seventh in the Asia-Pacific region as a malware origin point, a positive step up from fifth place last year. Comparatively, countries like Singapore, China, and South Korea remain leading sources of outbound threats.
Experts attribute India’s improvement to better cybersecurity practices and awareness. However, challenges persist, particularly with legacy systems and under-protected IoT (Internet of Things) environments, which remain prime targets for cybercriminals.
Global trends highlight rising IoT threats.
On a global scale, the report identified over 200 malicious apps on the Google Play Store, downloaded more than 8 million times collectively. Additionally, IoT devices have become a growing concern, with a 45 percent year-on-year increase in malware transactions involving these devices. Large-scale cyberattacks frequently use botnets, networks of compromised devices, to drive this surge.
Security experts emphasized the role of AI-powered solutions and Zero Trust frameworks in addressing these challenges. They also highlighted the pressing need for stronger legislation to combat cybercrime, particularly given the international nature of many attacks.
The findings from the Zscaler ThreatLabz report underscore the critical need for organizations worldwide, and particularly in India, to step up their security game. As digital transformation accelerates, so does the complexity of cyber threats, making proactive defense strategies an absolute must.
