{"id":108844,"date":"2023-02-27T10:05:35","date_gmt":"2023-02-27T10:05:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kasperskycontenthub.com\/securelist\/?p=108844"},"modified":"2023-02-27T12:08:17","modified_gmt":"2023-02-27T12:08:17","slug":"mobile-threat-report-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/securelist.com\/mobile-threat-report-2022\/108844\/","title":{"rendered":"The mobile malware threat landscape in 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
These statistics are based on detection verdicts of Kaspersky products received from users who consented to providing statistical data.<\/em><\/p>\n In 2022, Kaspersky mobile products and technology detected:<\/p>\n Mobile attacks leveled off after decreasing in the second half of 2021 and remained around the same level throughout 2022.<\/p>\n Kaspersky mobile cyberthreat detection dynamics in 2020\u20132022 (download<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n Cybercriminals continued to use legitimate channels to spread malware.<\/p>\n Similarly to 2021, we found a modified WhatsApp build<\/a> with malicious code inside in 2022. It was notable for spreading via ads inside the popular Snaptube app and through the Vidmate in-app store.<\/p>\n The spread of malware through Google Play continued as well. In particular, we found several mobile Trojan subscribers<\/a> on Google’s official Android app marketplace in 2022. These secretly signed users up for paid services. In addition to the previously known Jocker and MobOk families, we discovered a new family, named Harly<\/a> and active since 2020. Harly malware programs were downloaded a total of 2.6 million times from Google Play in 2022. Also last year, fraudsters abused the marketplace to spread various scam apps, which promised welfare payments or lucrative energy investments.<\/p>\n Mobile banking Trojans were not far behind. Despite Europol having shut down<\/a> the servers of FluBot (also known as Polph or Cabassous, the largest mobile botnet in recent years), users had to stay on guard, as Google Play still contained downloaders for other banking Trojan families, such as Sharkbot, Anatsa\/Teaban, Octo\/Coper, and Xenomorph, all masquerading as utilities. For instance, the Sharkbot downloader in the screenshot below imitates a file manager. This type of software is capable of requesting permission to install further packages the Trojan needs to function on the unsuspecting user’s device.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The Sharkbot banking Trojan downloader on Google Play<\/em><\/p>\n Exploitation of popular game titles, where malware and unwanted software mimicked a pirated version of a game or game cheats, remained<\/a> a popular mobile spread vector in 2022. The most frequently imitated titles included Minecraft, Roblox, Grand Theft Auto, PUBG, and FIFA. The malware spread primarily through questionable web sites, social media groups, and other unofficial channels.<\/p>\n We detected 1,661,743 malware or unwanted software installers in 2022\u00a0\u2014 1,803,013 less than we did in 2021. The number had been declining gradually since a 2020 increase.<\/p>\n Number of detected malicious installation packages in 2019\u20132022 (download<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n Distribution of newly detected mobile malware by type in 2021 and 2022 (download<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n RiskTool-type potentially unwanted software (27.39%) topped the rankings in 2022, replacing the previous leader, adware (24.05%). That said, the share of RiskTool had decreased by 7.89 percentage points, and the share of adware, by 18.38 percentage points year-on-year.<\/p>\n Various Trojan-type malware was third in the rankings with 15.56%, its cumulative share increasing by 6.7 percentage points.<\/p>\n TOP\u00a010 countries by share of users attacked by mobile malware<\/p>\nFigures of the year<\/h2>\n
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Trends of the year<\/h2>\n
Mobile cyberthreat statistics<\/h2>\n
Installer numbers<\/h3>\n
Distribution of detected mobile malware by type<\/h3>\n
Geography of mobile threats<\/h3>\n