Reviewing the statistics of cyberattacks on smartphone users, Kaspersky researchers saw that in the period of January to June 2020, the number of malicious attacks on mobile users reached 68,063 in the United Arab Emirates. The results showed that quarantine did not have a particular influence on the UAE threat landscape. To compare UAE with other Middle Eastern countries, the figure for Egypt was 220,000, Saudi Arabia saw 160,000 attacks in five months, followed by Kuwait (20,000) and Oman (15,000).
As mobile platforms’ influence grows, the role of smartphones in business processes and day-to-day life is growing rapidly. In response, cybercriminals are paying more attention to how they are distributing malware and the attack vectors used, increasing their activity in times of crisis. In many scenarios, timing can be a key part of the success of a malicious campaign, taking advantage of those users who are changing their security practices under pressure and do not have any reliable security solutions installed on their phones.
Throughout the year, the number of attacks did not change dramatically, which means that the implementation of quarantine measures did not influence mobile threat landscape in the region. It would account for approximately 11,000 to 14,000 attacks monthly. This can be explained by the fact that mobile platforms were initially made to be independent from the physical location of the user.
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