Security firm warns of strong increase in mobile banking malware

According to Kaspersky, mobile banking malware is increasing as more than half of successful messaging scams take place in less than 30 minutes.

Kaspersky's latest report released on October 14 shows that the embezzlement of users' money is becoming the top target of cybercriminals. In the first quarter of 2026, this security company discovered 162,275 new banking Trojan malware install packages on mobile devices, more than double the total recorded in the whole year of 2024 and equivalent to two-thirds of the total of the whole year of 2025.

This type of malware accounted for 52.96% of the total number of malicious mobile applications detected in the quarter, up from 31% in the whole year of 2025.

Discoverys based on Kaspersky Security Network's anonymous data show that: cybercriminals are intensifying user data exploitation activities by exploiting users' growing dependence on mobile devices in shopping, entertainment, and related activities.

Phones become the top target of cybercriminals

According to data from Kaspersky, in the first quarter of 2026, they prevented more than 2.67 million attacks related to malware, advertising software and unwanted mobile software.

In addition, they discovered a total of more than 306,000 malicious install packages, with 306,070 samples recorded. Of these, 439 install packages were related to Trojan ransomware on mobile devices.

The above figures show that smartphones are no longer secondary targets of cybercriminals but have become one of the main attack targets. Today's users store a lot of personal information, passwords, private conversations, images and data related to work on their phones. This habit makes mobile devices a particularly attractive target for cybercriminals.

A separate Kaspersky study on messaging scams, called The Great Messaging Heist, shows that just one successful scam message can cost victims an average of $733.

More than half of successful scams (52%) take place in less than 30 minutes, from the time the fraudster first approaches the victim until they get money or personal data. Meanwhile, 66% of victims believe that the fraudster used AI to deceive them. Among these, the most common form is AI-composed messages (42%), followed by voices created or copied by AI (31%) and fake images or videos using deepfake technology (25%).

To use mobile devices safely and limit the risk of being installed with malware, network security experts have given the following advice:

- Only install applications from trusted app stores.

- Avoid clicking on suspicious links or promotions of unknown origin.

- Frequently update operating system and applications.

- Verify the request to provide personal information received through messaging platforms.

- Use specialized security solutions for mobile devices to detect harmful activities in real time.

- Mobile devices are gradually becoming an indispensable part of digital life in Southeast Asia and globally. Therefore, cybersecurity experts emphasize: protecting mobile devices should now be considered an essential need, rather than an optional additional feature.