Omdie Survey Finds Phishing Attacks Top Smartphone Security Concern For Consumers By Investing.com

LONDON, January 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — New Omdia research reveals that phishing scams are the leading security threat for smartphone users, with 24% of respondents saying they have fallen victim to these attacks. Phishing, which involves fake messages, emails or calls designed to trick individuals into revealing sensitive personal information, remains a significant problem as cybercriminals continue to take advantage of unsuspecting users.

Omdia surveyed 1,572 consumers nationwide America, Asia and Oceaniaand Europe in October 2024 for the fourth annual Omdia Mobile Device Security Scorecard. The survey found that the next most common security problem is malware and viruses, followed by physical theft, such as pickpocketing, robbery or theft.

In Omdia’s recent assessment of leading premium smartphones, the Google (NASDAQ: ) Pixel 9 Pro and Samsung (KS: ) Galaxy S24 beat out the Apple (NASDAQ: ) iPhone 16 Pro and other Android-based devices including OnePlus 12, Xiaomi (OTC:) 14, i Honorable magic 6 Pro. Phishing protection proved to be a weak point on all devices as none successfully intercepted all phishing texts, calls and emails.

Simulated spam calls revealed that all Android devices from Google, Xiaomi, OnePlusHonor and Samsung successfully flagged suspicious spam calls before users answered, while the iPhone 16 Pro lacked similar protection for voice calls.

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

Despite the flaws in detecting phishing texts and emails, devices with Google Safe Browsing Protection successfully blocked the link from opening, displaying a warning screen and requiring user confirmation to continue. Performance across browsers varied significantly: Samsung Internet effectively blocked most links, including advanced custom URLs, while Xiaomi Mii and OnePlus web browsers failed to warn users about known malicious links, highlighting inconsistencies in Android device security.

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

“Despite the latest protections implemented by some manufacturers, it is difficult to protect 100% against identity theft attempts, highlighting the seriousness of the problem and the potential impact on consumers. However, smartphone manufacturers can (as evidenced by the availability of more advanced identity theft protection options) and should would have a better foundation of anti-theft protection “such as voice call protection and all Android devices using Google’s Safe Browsing protection,” he said Hollie HennessyPrincipal Analyst, Omdia. “This needs to be coupled with awareness activities by manufacturers and the wider industry to help consumers be alert and prepared.”

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Fasiha Khan: fasiha.khan@omdia.com