India tops global mobile malware charts, says new report
India just topped the charts for mobile malware, with over 42 million installs of 239 malicious Android apps in the past year.
Most of these apps looked like harmless productivity tools, taking advantage of remote work and people's trust in utility apps, according to Zscaler's latest ThreatLabz report.
Attackers are now focusing on mobile payments and spying
India now accounts for 26% of global mobile malware traffic—a sharp 38% jump from last year.
Attackers are moving away from card fraud and focusing more on stealing money through mobile payments and spying on devices.
Indonesia and Brazil are next on the list, but India leads by a wide margin.
How to stay safer from malware attacks
The energy sector saw attacks spike by an eye-popping 387%, while manufacturing and transport made up over 40% of IoT malware cases.
Even with Google cracking down on bad apps, millions of devices remain exposed.
Experts say: delete sketchy apps, keep your phone updated, avoid third-party app stores, and turn on Google Play Protect to stay safer.