Omdia survey finds phishing attacks top smartphone security concern for consumers

LONDON, January 20, 2025: A new survey from Omdia reveals that phishing scams are the leading security threat for smartphone users, with 24% of respondents reporting they have fallen victim to these attacks. Phishing, which includes fraudulent texts, emails, or calls designed to trick individuals into revealing sensitive personal information, remains a significant concern as cybercriminals continue to exploit unsuspecting consumers.

Omdia surveyed 1,572 consumers across the Americas, Asia & Oceania, and Europe in October 2024 for the fourth annual Omdia Mobile Device Security Scorecard. The survey found that the next most common security issue was malware and viruses, followed by physical theft, such as pickpocketing, mugging, or snatching.

In Omdia’s recent assessment of leading premium smartphones, Google’s Pixel 9 Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 outperformed Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and other Android-based devices, including the OnePlus 12, Xiaomi 14, and Honor Magic 6 Pro. Anti-phishing protection proved to be a weak spot across all devices, as none successfully intercepted all phishing texts, calls and emails.  

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

None of the tested devices fully No device flagged simulated phishing emails from Gmail as phishing, only identifying them as spam when sent from Google’s SMTP. 
Despite gaps in detecting phishing texts and emails, devices with Google Safe Browsing protections successfully blocked the link from opening, displaying a warning screen and requiring user confirmation to proceed. Performance across browsers varied significantly: Samsung Internet effectively blocked most links, including advanced custom URLs, while Xiaomi Mii and OnePlus Internet browsers failed to warn users about known malicious links, underscoring inconsistencies in Android device’s security.

“The lack of security protection, particularly against the growing threat of phishing attacks, is eroding consumer trust,” said Omdia Senior Analyst, Aaron West. “When consumers were asked if their trust following a security issue increased (due to how well the issue was handled) or decreased, 73% reported they had reduced trust in the smartphone brand and operating system developer.”  

  
“Despite the latest protections in place by some manufacturers, it is difficult to protect 100% against phishing attempts, highlighting the severity of the issue and potential impact to consumers. That said, smartphone manufacturers can (demonstrated by the more advanced phishing protection capabilities available) and should have a better baseline of phishing protection – such as voice call protection, and all Android devices making use of Google’s Safe Browsing protections,” said Hollie Hennessy, Principal Analyst, Omdia. “This needs to be paired with awareness activity from manufacturers and the wider industry to help consumers be vigilant and prepared”.