India surpasses US, Canada in malware targets

India has emerged as the leading target for global mobile malware attacks, accounting for 28% of such incidents. This surpasses the United States at 27.3% and Canada at 15.9%, marking a significant rise from India's third-place position last year. 

As we shared earlier, India faces the highest global impact from malware attacks. This highlights an urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures amid rapid digitalization. According to the Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report, over 200 malicious apps on the Google Play Store have been downloaded more than 8 million times, underscoring the escalating threat landscape.

At the same time, India has experienced a marked rise in advanced phishing campaigns aimed at mobile users of three of the top five private banks. Cybercriminals are leveraging convincingly crafted fake banking websites to deceive users into sharing sensitive details like login credentials and banking information.

It has also observed a 45% year-on-year surge in malware transactions targeting IoT devices. This rise is predominantly attributed to botnets—networks of compromised devices exploited for large-scale cyberattacks. Globally, the report highlighted a significant hurdle: the lack of effective legislation and enforcement against cybercrime. The challenge is magnified as cybercriminals frequently operate across borders and continuously adapt their methods, outpacing both security technologies and legal frameworks.

A  recent Times of India report highlighted a 158% rise in financial losses from device-related scams, with Delhi residents losing ₹452 crore in the first half of 2024, up from ₹175 crore last year. India also leads the Asia-Pacific region in mobile malware attacks, accounting for 66.5% of the total.

On the flip side, India has shown progress in mitigating its role as a malware origin, ranking seventh in the APAC region—an improvement from its fifth-place position last year. Meanwhile, countries like Singapore, China, and South Korea have emerged as major sources of outbound cyber threats.

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