Mobile attacks targeting consumers in the Philippines went up by 28 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.
The country stood among several Asia-Pacific markets that saw sharp growth in mobile attacks between the first quarters of 2025 and 2026. Taiwan recorded the biggest rise at 373 percent, followed by Sri Lanka at 132 percent, Thailand at 127 percent, Bangladesh at 108 percent, China at 69 percent, and the Philippines at 28 percent.
Across the region, Kaspersky blocked close to 30,000 mobile attacks on consumers from January to March this year. India and Indonesia had the highest number of recorded incidents, with 18,187 and 15,163 attacks respectively. Still, Kaspersky noted that fast increases in other markets show mobile threats are no longer limited to the region’s largest digital economies.
“The rapid rise in mobile attacks across multiple APAC markets is a reflection of how quickly the region’s digital habits are changing,” said Choon Hong Chee, head of consumer channel for APAC at Kaspersky. He added that the nearly 30,000 threats detected may be only a small part of the overall picture, as smartphones now serve as key access points to personal finances, social connections, and work.
“Unlike PCs, mobile phones are often not protected with the same level of security, despite increasingly becoming the gateway to our financial, social and professional lives,” Chee explained.
The 28-percent rise in the Philippines comes as consumers across APAC rely more on digital services. A recent Kaspersky survey found that APAC consumers are more active online than global averages in key areas: online shopping at 80 percent (versus 71 percent globally), digital finance at 72 percent (versus 70 percent), digital entertainment at 70 percent (versus 62 percent), and digital communication at 68 percent (versus 61 percent).
Greater digital use also brings higher awareness of risks. Around 35 percent of APAC consumers expressed worry about digital technology being used for crime, above the global rate of 32 percent. Thailand had the highest concern at 39 percent, followed by Malaysia at 38 percent, Indonesia at 35 percent, China at 34 percent, India at 32 percent, and Vietnam at 31 percent.
“When 77 percent of APAC is online and digital wallets accounting for roughly 70 percent of online payments, cybersecurity is no longer optional,” Chee said. He noted that APAC is projected to reach 2.11 billion mobile subscribers by 2030, making personal data and financial transaction protection ever more critical to trust in the digital economy.
