Android Malware Attacks Rise 29 Percent, Fraud Applications Become The Main Threat

Illustration of fake applications (photo: Freepik)

JAKARTA - According to the latest Kaspersky data, there were 29% more attacks on Android smartphone users in the first half of 2025 compared to the first half of 2024.

"The first match in 2025 shows a spike in Android malware attacks compared to 2024," said Anton Kivva, Head of the Malware Analyst Team at Kaspersky in his statement.

Throughout 2025, the global cybersecurity company has succeeded in detecting various leading cellular threats such as SparkCat, SparkKitty, and mitigation.

In addition, there are also malicious applications, ranging from applications with adult content that launch DDoS attacks, to fake VPN applications that intercept single-use passwords (OTP) from text messages and notifications.

Kaspersky also mentioned that the most common malicious applications that mobile phone users encounter are Fakemoney fraud apps, banking trojans, and built-in malware.

The Fakemoney app, is a mobile fraud app designed to trick users into believing that they can earn real money through assignments, games, or investments, but then steals personal information, money, or doesn't give the real payment.

The banking Trojan, is an example of malicious software embedded in Android device firmware during the production process, which allows data theft, illegal acts, and remains even after factory reset.

Mobile banking Trojans, the number of mobile banking Trojans detected in the first half (Q1) of 2025 is almost four times more than the first half (Q1) of 2024 and more than double as the second half (Q2) of 2024.

"The attacker is likely to find a way to bypass verification, which underscores the importance of combining strong security solutions, careful application sources, and periodic OS updates to stay ahead in the face of growing threats," he concluded.