As digital financial transactions continued to expand worldwide in 2024, cybercriminals increasingly targeted mobile banking and cryptocurrency-related assets.
Kaspersky’s Financial Cyberthreats report revealed that the number of users encountering mobile banking Trojans surged 3.6 times compared to 2023, while crypto-related phishing attacks spiked by 83.4%. Meanwhile, traditional banking malware for PCs declined, but financial malware increasingly focused on stealing crypto assets.
Financial phishing scams became more sophisticated, with fraudsters mimicking banks, online shopping platforms, and payment systems to deceive users. Banks were the primary target, accounting for 42.6% of financial phishing attempts.
Amazon was the most imitated online brand, representing 33.2% of scam pages, while fraud targeting Alibaba saw a notable rise from 3.2% in 2023 to 8% in 2024. PayPal remained the most targeted payment system, though its share of phishing attacks dropped from 54.7% to 37.5%, while attacks on Mastercard nearly doubled.
The surge in mobile financial threats was particularly significant, with 247,949 users encountering mobile banking Trojans in 2024, a sharp rise from 69,200 the previous year. The Mamont Trojan-Banker family was the most active, using a variety of schemes, from fake stores to elaborate social engineering attacks.
Türkiye remained the most affected country, with increasing cases also reported in Indonesia, India, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Malaysia.
PC malware attacks on traditional banking systems declined, with affected users dropping from 312,453 in 2023 to 199,204 in 2024. However, financial malware increasingly targeted crypto assets instead.
The Grandoreiro Trojan, one of the most prevalent banking malware, attacked 1,700 banks and 276 crypto wallets across 45 countries.
Kaspersky experts warn that financial phishing is evolving to become even more targeted and personalized. With smartphones becoming the preferred tool for digital transactions, cybercriminals are leveraging fake brands and services to steal user data.
As financial fraud continues to grow in sophistication, users must remain vigilant and adopt stronger security measures to protect their assets.
