Kaspersky Lab has revealed that mobile ransomware attacks increased fourfold in 2015-2016 compared to the previous 12 months, with only four malware groups responsible for the majority of attacks.
The research firm explained the Small, Fusob, Pletor and Svpeng families carried out more than 90 per cent of malware-based attacks on Android smartphones.
Ransomware has become the fastest growing form of Android-based attack, increasing to 4.63 per cent of the total number of threats in the last 12 months, whereas in 2014-2015, it accounted for just 2.4 per cent. Although the number of computers targeted in crypto-ransomware attacks - where files on the infected machine are encrypted by the malware - has increased substantially, screen blocker-based threats have reduced. Android, however, seems to be attracting more criminals using the screen blocker technique because Android-based devices cannot resist such hacks using external hardware in the way that PCs can.
Kaspersky Lab is now predicting that other devices will be affected by such attacks, especially those that operate on Android-based systems.
"The extortion model is here to stay. Mobile ransomware emerged as a follow-up to PC ransomware and it is likely that it will be followed-up with malware targeting devices that are very different to a PC or a smartphone," Roman Unuchek, mobile security expert at Kaspersky Lab, said.
"These could be connected devices like smart watches, smart TVs, and other smart products including home and in-car entertainment systems. There are a few proof-of-concepts for some of these devices, and the appearance of actual malware targeting smart devices is only a question of time."
The countries worst affected by ransomware were Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, the report revealed.
-
Enterprise AI adoption is about to get the Big Brother treatmentOpinion Worried your staff aren’t using those shiny AI tools you petitioned for? Big tech has you covered
-
Dreamforce 2025: What's an agentic OS?ITPro Podcast NPUs, e-ink, and immersive headsets are the latest hardware innovations for business devices
-
Volkswagen confirms security ‘incident’ amid ransomware breach claimsNews Volkswagen has confirmed a security "incident" has occurred, but insists no IT systems have been compromised.
-
The number of ransomware groups rockets as new, smaller players emergeNews The good news is that the number of victims remains steady
-
Teens arrested over nursery chain Kido hacknews The ransom attack caused widespread shock when the hackers published children's personal data
-
NCA confirms arrest after airport cyber disruptionNews Disruption is easing across Europe following the ransomware incident
-
Cyber professionals are losing sleep over late night attacksNews Hackers are biding their time and launching attacks when businesses can’t respond
-
Prolific ransomware operator added to Europe’s Most Wanted list as US dangles $10 million rewardNews The US Department of Justice is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest of Volodymyr Viktorovych Tymoshchuk, an alleged ransomware criminal.
-
Jaguar Land Rover “did the right thing” shutting down systems to thwart cyber attackNews The attack on Jaguar Land Rover highlights the growing attractiveness of the automotive sector
-
Ransomware attack on IT supplier disrupts hundreds of Swedish municipalitiesNews The attack on IT systems supplier Miljödata has impacted public sector services across the country
