Inside the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa (META) mobile threat landscape: Middle East attacks rise, Africa and Turkiye remain targeted

Zawya

5 days ago

At the 10th annual Cyber Security Weekend – META 2025 conference held recently, Kaspersky (www.Kaspersky.co.za) Global Research and Analysis Team experts shared their insights on the latest trends in the mobile threat landscape across the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa (META) region.
While the overall attack rate in the region remained relatively stable in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous quarter, the Middle East experienced a significant surge, with attacks increasing by 43%, reaching over 57,000 attacks.
In contrast, both Africa and Turkiye showed a positive trend, with a decline in mobile attacks. Africa saw a 17% decrease, with 94,270 recorded attacks, while Turkiye experienced a 16% reduction, totaling 28,592 attacks.
'The decline in the number of mobile attacks in some parts of the META region is certainly a positive sign and may indicate that awareness and protective measures are starting to pay off,' said Tatyana Shishkova, Lead Security Researcher at Kaspersky. 'However, the threat is far from gone. Cybercriminals are becoming more skilled and selective, increasingly leveraging sophisticated AI-powered and targeted attacks.'
All of these recorded threats were successfully blocked by Kaspersky's mobile security solutions, with data from Kaspersky protection systems running on Android devices. The company's experts highlight that the latest trends point to a cascade-style infection strategy, where attackers find multiple ways to sneak onto victims' devices. As more services shift to mobile platforms - and as people increasingly rely on smartphones for nearly every aspect of their lives - mobile devices have become highly attractive targets for cybercriminals.
Many of these threats are distributed via social media platforms or unofficial app stores, as seen in the Tria Trojan campaign, which spread through fake wedding invitations shared over WhatsApp and Telegram. Victims were tricked into downloading and installing a malicious APK file disguised as a legitimate app.
However, even big official platforms are not immune. A recent discovery revealed SparkCat, a sophisticated data-stealing Trojan leveraging artificial intelligence. Distributed through both the App Store and Google Play, SparkCat was downloaded more than 242,000 times. It used machine learning to scan for cryptocurrency and sensitive data in nine different languages.
Alarmingly, even brand-new phones can be compromised before they reach their owners, arriving with pre-installed malware. Counterfeit versions of popular smartphone models, often sold at discounted prices, have been discovered to come preloaded with a modified variant of the Android malware known as Triada.
'Even the most vigilant individuals can miss a well-crafted threat. That's why cybersecurity must be proactive—not reactive. Staying ahead of cybercriminals takes innovation from tech companies, expertise from security professionals, and awareness from users. It's a shared responsibility,' adds Tatyana Shishkova.
To protect yourself from mobile threats, Kaspersky recommends:
Download apps only from official stores like Apple AppStore, Google Play or Amazon Appstore. Apps from these markets are not 100% failsafe, but at least they get checked by the moderators and there is some filtration system — not every app can get onto these stores. It's worth looking through user reviews of an app to see if there is any negative feedback on its functionality.
Check the permissions of apps that you use and think carefully before permitting an app, especially when it comes to high-risk permissions such as Accessibility Services.
A reliable mobile security solution like Kaspersky Premium (https://apo-opa.co/3H90T7B) can help you to detect malicious apps and adware before they start behaving badly on your device.
Update your operating system and important apps as updates become available. Many safety issues can be solved by installing updated versions of software.
Kaspersky calls on the mobile industry to enhance cyber protection at all levels, including security for users, by providing tailored cybersecurity services. Kaspersky Consumer Business Alliances enable companies to offer their customers complete cybersecurity portfolios by backing them with Kaspersky's global support and expertise.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kaspersky.
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About Kaspersky:
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. With over a billion devices protected to date from emerging cyberthreats and targeted attacks, Kaspersky's deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services to protect individuals, businesses, critical infrastructure, and governments around the globe. The company's comprehensive security portfolio includes leading digital life protection for personal devices, specialized security products and services for companies, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. We help millions of individuals and over 200,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.Kaspersky.co.za.