As a result, they are investing in more sophisticated attacks that are effective at stealing valuable personal data or extorting money from victims. Although Android users remain the main target, 2015 saw effective attacks on Apple devices as well, and iOS devices did not need to be jail-broken to be compromised.

1. Mobile malware has rapidly evolved –increasingly there are mobile ransomware variants, innovative phishing methods, a growth in greywareon the Android operating system and compromised versions of the iOS development environment.
   
   
2. There has been an explosive growth in the number of mobile vulnerabilities, from 127 identified in 2013 to a whopping 528 alone in 2015. 
   
   
3. We have seen more than three times as many Android apps classified as containing malware in 2015 than in 2014, an increase of 230 percent. Over 10 million variants were discovered by Symantec.
    

How can you protect yourself from Mobile threats?

If you’re wondering how best you can protect your personal data while getting the most from your mobile world, Europol has launched a Europe wide #MobileMalware campaign in order to raise awareness on mobile threats.

With handy tips and advice on how you can avoid falling victim to criminals we are delighted to support and participate in this initiative which aims to make your mobile world safe and secure.

Find out more about how to keep your mobile activities secure in Mobile Security: Why you should take it seriously?