Around the world in 5 types of mobile threat

Mobile security company Lookout has released a report breaking down the types of threat encountered by users around the world. It takes data from the Lookout app in the US, UK, Germany, India and Japan to spot the key dangers in each region.

Threats are broken down into five categories -- adware, chargeware, spyware, surveillance and Trojans. Adware dominates around the world thanks to grey areas surrounding what's acceptable in mobile advertising. However, users in India are almost four times more likely to encounter mobile adware than those in the US. Indian users have a greater chance of encountering any kind of threat with a 5.49 percent likelihood of infection compared to only 1.66 percent in the US and 2.16 percent in the UK.

Surveillance apps -- designed to capture and transmit data without the user's knowledge -- are more common in the US as they have what the report calls a "quasi-legal" position in the market. UK users are most likely to encounter chargeware that stings them with unexpected bills for premium rate services. Japan is the safest location with only a 0.78 percent chance of encountering any kind of threat at all, largely thanks to the fact that the country doesn't have premium SMS services. If you're in Germany you have a bigger risk of encountering a Trojan.

The report notes that, "While an individual’s chance of encountering a mobile threat is still relatively low, it’s important to identify the types of emerging threats and how they vary in likelihood around the world, providing a better sense of how the bad actors are experimenting". Its aim is to make people more aware of the type of threat they’re likely to encounter so that they can take care when browsing and downloading.

As mobile devices proliferate they become more attractive to malware authors and advertisers alike. That means the number of threats and the chance of infection can only increase. Have you fallen victim? What steps do you take to keep your device safe? Let us know.

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