Number of banking malware doubles in 2022, reaching 6-year high

According to the Mobile Threats report, Kapersky identified 196,476 attempts to install banking trojans on mobile devices in 2022. The volume represents double the threats detected from the previous year and the highest figure in the last six years. Despite the record, the number of attacks has decreased since 2020.

Taking all attack types into account, the number of attempts has also been declining since mid-2021 and stabilized last year.. In 2022, there were 1,661,743 malware detected by the cybersecurity company’s products, which is almost half of the previous year.

“This platform is very attractive to scammers, given the double-digit growth of mobile banking every year,” says Fabio Assolini, head of Kaspersky’s Latin America Global Research and Analysis Team.

Malware disguise

Banking malware is designed to steal payment data such as credit cards and commit financial fraud. cyber criminals hides threats in utilities and is available in both official app stores like Google Play and unofficial stores.

Abuse of popular game names continued to be a common vector for mobile threat propagation. Trojans present themselves as pirated versions of games such as: minecraft, roblox, Grand Theft Auto This Fifa and mostly distributed through questionable websites, social networking groups and other unofficial sources.

Malwares found by Kapersky were BRata, Ghimob, TwMobo, Xenomorph and Sharkbot. The latter is hidden in a file manager, but has code that asks for permission to install a trojan on the infected device.

Expert advice is Do not download apps from unknown sourceschecking the permissions of applications on the smartphone before authorization, updating the operating system and programs as much as possible, and even using a more robust security solution.