2024 Report: 258% Growth in Mobile Malware Impacts Users

• Dramatic increase in mobile banking malware in 2024.
• Mamont dominates as the top malware on mobile devices.
• Need for continuous vigilance against personalized attacks.

In the digital landscape of 2024, an explosion in banking malware attacks on smartphones marks a worrying turn for Android and iPhone users. According to a recent study by Kaspersky, there was a 258% increase in the number of infected mobile devices compared to the previous year.

According to report , the number of victims of banking Trojans jumped from 69.200 in 2023 to a staggering 247.949 in 2024. This increase reflects a tactical shift by cybercriminals, who now prefer to target mobile device users.

The most prevalent malware targeting bank accounts was Mamont, responsible for around 36,7% of attacks in 2024. “This malware emerged in late 2023 and is distributed primarily in Russia and the CIS, with attack methods ranging from old-school scams to more complex social engineering involving fake online stores and delivery tracking apps,” the company explained.

The reach of mobile banking malware was not limited to a single territory, with countries in Europe and Asia being hit the hardest in 2024. On the other hand, malware targeting PCs showed a higher prevalence in Central Asian countries. Kaspersky highlighted a significant increase in cases in Afghanistan, where the incidence of banking Trojans rose from 6% in 2023 to 9% in 2024, followed by Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.

TOP 20 countries by share of attacked users

Olga Svistunova, senior analyst at Kaspersky, warns about the future: “We expect financial phishing to become even more personalized and targeted, exploiting vulnerabilities in users’ daily digital habits. This will require them to be more vigilant and take more robust approaches to protection.”