Omdia survey finds phishing attacks top smartphone security concerns for consumers By Investing.com

London, January 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A new Omdia survey reveals that phishing scams are the top security threat to smartphone users, with 24% of respondents saying they have fallen victim to these attacks. Phishing, which involves fraudulent texts, emails or calls designed to trick individuals into revealing sensitive personal information, remains a major concern as cybercriminals continue to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers.

Omdia surveyed 1,572 consumers worldwide Americas, Asia & Oceaniaand Europe in October 2024 For the fourth annual Omdia Mobile Security Scorecard. The survey found that the most common security problem was malware and viruses, followed by physical theft, such as pickpocketing, burglary or kidnapping.

In Omdia’s latest evaluation of premium flagship smartphones, the Pixel 9 Pro from Google (NASDAQ:) and the Galaxy S24 from Samsung (KS:) outperformed the iPhone 16 Pro from Apple (NASDAQ:) and other Android devices, Including OnePlus 12, Xiaomi (OTC:) 14, and Honor magic 6 pro. Phishing protection proved to be a weak point in all devices, as none were successful in intercepting all phishing texts, calls, and emails.

Spam call simulation revealed that all Android devices from Google, Xiaomi and OnePlusBoth Honor and Samsung successfully flagged suspected spam calls before users answered them, while the iPhone 16 Pro lacked similar protection for voice calls.

None of the devices fully tested on simulated Gmail phishing emails were flagged as phishing, and were only flagged as spam when sent from Google’s SMTP.

Despite vulnerabilities in detecting phishing scripts and emails, devices with Google Safe Browsing protection successfully blocked the link from opening, displayed a warning screen, and required user confirmation to continue. Performance across browsers varied widely: Samsung Internet effectively blocked most links, including advanced custom URLs, while Xiaomi Mi OnePlus’ web browsers failed to warn users about known malicious links, underscoring inconsistencies in Android device security.

“The lack of security protections, especially against the growing threat of phishing attacks, is eroding consumer confidence,” said Omdia’s senior analyst. Aaron West. “When consumers were asked whether their trust after a security issue had increased (because of how well the issue was handled) or decreased, 73% reported that their trust in the smartphone brand and operating system developer had decreased.”

“Despite the latest protections implemented by some manufacturers, it is difficult to provide 100% protection against phishing attempts, highlighting the seriousness of the problem and its potential impact on consumers. However, smartphone manufacturers (as evidenced by more advanced protection capabilities) can advanced phishing protection available) and should have a better baseline of phishing protection (such as voice call protection, and all Android devices using Google’s Safe Browsing protections, Holly HennessyPrincipal Analyst, Omdia. “This must be coupled with awareness activity from manufacturers and the wider industry to help consumers be vigilant and prepared.”

About Omedia

Omidia, part of information (Longitude:) TechTarget (Nasdaq:), Inc. (Nasdaq: TTGT) is a technology research and consulting group. Our deep knowledge of technology markets combined with our actionable insights enables organizations to make smart growth decisions.

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Fashiha Khan: fasiha.khan@omdia.com