Key Facts

• Thailand’s Surge: Mobile attacks in Thailand increased 127% year-on-year in Q1 2026
• Awareness Ranking: Thailand ranked highest in cybercrime awareness among Asia-Pacific markets at 39%
• Regional Leaders: Taiwan (373%), Sri Lanka (132%), Thailand (127%), Bangladesh (108%), China (69%), Philippines (28%)
• Highest Volumes: India (18,187 attacks), Indonesia (15,163 attacks)
• Regional Total: Kaspersky blocked nearly 30,000 mobile attacks against Asia-Pacific consumers in Q1 2026
• Digital Adoption: 77% of Asia-Pacific population online; digital wallets account for 70% of online payments
• Future Growth: Mobile subscribers expected to reach 2.11 billion in Asia-Pacific by 2030

Direct Answer

Mobile-device attacks in Thailand surged 127% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, despite Thai consumers recording the highest cybercrime-awareness level among Asia-Pacific markets surveyed by Kaspersky, at 39%.

The findings point to a widening gap between awareness and the speed at which mobile threats are growing as smartphones become central to banking, digital payments, shopping, communications, and other everyday services. Taiwan recorded the sharpest increase at 373%, followed by Sri Lanka at 132%, Thailand at 127%, Bangladesh at 108%, China at 69%, and the Philippines at 28%. 

India and Indonesia recorded the highest attack volumes at 18,187 and 15,163 respectively. Choon Hong Chee, Kaspersky’s head of consumer channel for Asia-Pacific, noted that smartphones are often not protected to the same level as personal computers, despite becoming gateways to users’ financial, social, and professional lives. 

Kaspersky is now calling for embedded security — integrating protection directly into mobile applications rather than relying on consumers to install separate security software.

In this article:

• The Surge: Mobile Attacks Across Asia-Pacific
• The Awareness Paradox: Thailand Leads, But Attacks Rise
• Why Smartphones Are Vulnerable
• The Growing Attack Surface
• Kaspersky’s Solution: Embedded Security
• What This Means for Banks, Retailers, and Governments
• FAQ

By Adv. Shoeb Hakim — Criminal defence, AML, digital forensics, and cybercrime specialist; former General Counsel, Credit Suisse; training police and judiciary since 1996.

The Surge: Mobile Attacks Across Asia-Pacific

Kaspersky’s threat-monitoring data for the first quarter of 2026 reveals a dramatic surge in mobile attacks across the Asia-Pacific region.

Year-on-Year Increases:

Highest Attack Volumes:

Key Insight:

The sharp growth in markets beyond Asia-Pacific’s largest digital economies indicates that mobile threats are no longer concentrated in the region’s biggest markets. Cybercriminals are expanding their reach.

The Awareness Paradox: Thailand Leads, But Attacks Rise

Kaspersky’s B2C Pulse Survey found that Thai consumers recorded the highest cybercrime-awareness level among the Asia-Pacific markets surveyed.

Awareness Rankings:

The Global Context:

Across Asia-Pacific, 35% of respondents demonstrated awareness or concern about digital technology being used for criminal activity, compared with a global average of 32%.

The Paradox:

Despite leading the region in awareness, Thailand experienced a 127% surge in mobile attacks.

Why?

Awareness alone may not provide sufficient protection when users depend on smartphones for sensitive transactions and when security measures within devices and applications fail to keep pace with evolving risks.

Why Smartphones Are Vulnerable

Choon Hong Chee, Kaspersky’s head of consumer channel for Asia-Pacific, identified a critical gap:

“Smartphones were often not protected to the same level as personal computers, despite becoming gateways to users’ financial, social and professional lives.”

The Challenge:

Mobile security must evolve at the same pace as the region’s increasing reliance on smartphones.

Why This Matters:

Unlike personal computers, which have decades of security infrastructure built around them, smartphones have rapidly become central to daily life without equivalent security maturity. Users conduct banking, payments, shopping, and communications on devices that are often under-protected.

The Growing Attack Surface

Asia-Pacific’s rapid digital adoption is creating a larger attack surface for cybercriminals.

Digital Service Usage (Asia-Pacific vs. Global):

Digital Adoption:

• 77% of the Asia-Pacific population is online
• Digital wallets account for roughly 70% of online payments in the region
• Mobile subscribers in Asia-Pacific are expected to reach 2.11 billion by 2030

The Implication:

As more people conduct financial transactions on mobile devices, the incentive for cybercriminals to target smartphones grows exponentially.

Real-World Threat:

Thailand has emerged as a key target in mobile banking fraud campaigns linked to Cambodia-based scam compounds. Criminal groups like GoldFactory — a Chinese-speaking cybercrime syndicate — have heavily targeted Southeast Asian users, including those in Thailand, with mobile banking fraud. Android banking trojans like MMRat and Gigabud have been deployed in attacks targeting users in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Kaspersky’s Solution: Embedded Security

Kaspersky is advocating for a fundamental shift in mobile security strategy.

The Problem with the Current Approach:

Relying on consumers to install, configure, and maintain separate security software is not working.

The Solution:

Integrate security controls directly into mobile applications.

How It Works:

Banks, retailers, government services, and application developers can place protection closer to the point where users conduct financial and other sensitive digital activities.

Kaspersky’s Mobile Security SDK:

The toolkit allows organisations to add security capabilities directly into their apps, including:

• Anti-phishing and malware detection
• Secure connectivity
• Device reputation checks
• Data protection
• Detection of remote access tools
• Generation of warnings when threats are detected

The Benefits:

• Reduces burden on consumers
• Provides broader protection for personal data and digital transactions
• Keeps pace with evolving threats
• Places security where users actually conduct sensitive activities

What This Means for Banks, Retailers, and Governments

For Financial Institutions:

Banks must recognize that mobile banking is now the primary interface for customers. Security cannot be an afterthought — it must be built into the banking app itself.

For Retailers:

With 80% of Asia-Pacific consumers shopping online, retailers must protect customer data and payment information at the point of transaction.

For Governments:

Digital wallets account for 70% of online payments in the region. Governments must establish security standards for digital services and encourage embedded security adoption.

For App Developers:

Building security into applications is no longer optional. As threats become more sophisticated, users will gravitate toward apps that offer robust protection.

KNOWLEDGE CHECK QUIZ

Q: What percentage increase in mobile attacks did Thailand experience in Q1 2026 according to Kaspersky data?
Ans: Thailand experienced a 127% year-on-year surge in mobile attacks during the first quarter of 2026.

Q: What was Thailand’s ranking and score in regional cybercrime awareness?
Ans: Thailand ranked highest among surveyed Asia-Pacific markets with a cybercrime awareness level of 39%.

Q: What is “embedded security” in the context of mobile applications?
Ans: Embedded security involves integrating protection controls (such as anti-phishing, malware detection, and RAT monitoring) directly into mobile applications rather than relying on separate consumer security software.

Q: Which notorious banking trojans have targeted mobile users in Southeast Asia including Thailand?
Ans: Mobile banking trojans such as GoldFactory, MMRat, and Gigabud have been deployed by cybercrime syndicates targeting users in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

FAQ

Why did mobile attacks surge 127% in Thailand despite high awareness?

Awareness alone does not prevent attacks. Thai consumers are aware of cybercrime, but smartphones are often not protected to the same level as personal computers. As smartphones become central to banking, payments, and communications, the attack surface has grown faster than security measures.

What is the awareness level in Thailand?

Thailand recorded the highest cybercrime-awareness level among Asia-Pacific markets at 39% , followed by Malaysia at 38%, Indonesia at 35%, China at 34%, India at 32%, and Vietnam at 31%.

Which countries saw the sharpest increases in mobile attacks?

Taiwan led at 373% , followed by Sri Lanka (132%), Thailand (127%), Bangladesh (108%), China (69%), and the Philippines (28%).

Which countries recorded the highest attack volumes?

India recorded 18,187 attacks and Indonesia recorded 15,163 — the highest individual volumes in the region.

What did Kaspersky block in Q1 2026?

Kaspersky blocked nearly 30,000 mobile attacks against consumers in Asia-Pacific during the first quarter of 2026.

What is “embedded security”?

Embedded security means integrating protection directly into mobile applications — such as banking apps, retail apps, and government service apps — rather than relying on users to install separate security software.

Who are the major mobile threat actors in Southeast Asia?

Criminal groups like GoldFactory (a Chinese-speaking cybercrime syndicate) have heavily targeted Southeast Asian users with mobile banking fraud. Android banking trojans like MMRat and Gigabud have been deployed in attacks targeting Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

What is Kaspersky’s Mobile Security SDK?

It is a toolkit that allows banks, retailers, governments, and app developers to add security capabilities — including anti-phishing, malware detection, and data protection — directly into their mobile applications.

Why is mobile security different from PC security?

Smartphones have rapidly become central to daily life without equivalent security maturity. Unlike PCs, which have decades of security infrastructure, smartphones are often under-protected despite handling sensitive financial and personal data.

What is the projected growth of mobile subscribers in Asia-Pacific?

Mobile subscribers in Asia-Pacific are expected to reach 2.11 billion by 2030, increasing the importance of protecting personal information and financial transactions.

By Adv. Shoeb Hakim 
Criminal defence, AML, digital forensics, and cybercrime specialist; former General Counsel, Credit Suisse; training police and judiciary since 1996.

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Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult qualified legal counsel for advice on their specific circumstances.

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Adv. Shoeb Hakim is a Mumbai-based criminal defence, AML, digital forensics and cybercrime specialist. Former General Counsel at Credit Suisse. Has been training police and judiciary since 1996. Provides expert commentary on cybercrime, mobile security, and digital forensics.

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Article Section:
Cybercrime | Mobile Security | Digital Forensics | Asia-Pacific

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#Thailand, #mobilecyberattacks, #Kaspersky, #cybercrimeawareness, #mobilesecurity, #Asia-Pacific, #digitalwallets, #smartphone, #threats, #embeddedsecurity, #GoldFactory, #mobilebanking, #fraud, #AdvShoebHakim