--- title: "Why More and More Phishing Attacks are Going After Mobile Users | Phish Protection" description: "Why More and More Phishing Attacks are Going After Mobile Users: Phishing attacks are hard to stop because hackers are extremely sophisticated and they use." image: "https://phishprotection.com/og/blog/why-more-and-more-phishing-attacks-are-going-after-mobile-users.png" canonical: "https://phishprotection.com/blog/why-more-and-more-phishing-attacks-are-going-after-mobile-users/" --- Quick Answer Phishing attacks are hard to stop because hackers are extremely sophisticated and they use every method available. What hackers have discovered is that one of the best methods available is to target mobile devices. As challenging as it is for users to identify well-constructed phishing emails on a desktop, it's much more difficult on mobile devices and hackers know it. Share [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fphishprotection.com%2Fblog%2Fwhy-more-and-more-phishing-attacks-are-going-after-mobile-users%2F "Share on LinkedIn") [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20More%20and%20More%20Phishing%20Attacks%20are%20Going%20After%20Mobile%20Users&url=https%3A%2F%2Fphishprotection.com%2Fblog%2Fwhy-more-and-more-phishing-attacks-are-going-after-mobile-users%2F "Share on X/Twitter") [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fphishprotection.com%2Fblog%2Fwhy-more-and-more-phishing-attacks-are-going-after-mobile-users%2F "Share on Facebook") [ ](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fphishprotection.com%2Fblog%2Fwhy-more-and-more-phishing-attacks-are-going-after-mobile-users%2F&title=Why%20More%20and%20More%20Phishing%20Attacks%20are%20Going%20After%20Mobile%20Users "Share on Reddit") [ ](mailto:?subject=Why%20More%20and%20More%20Phishing%20Attacks%20are%20Going%20After%20Mobile%20Users&body=Check out this article: https%3A%2F%2Fphishprotection.com%2Fblog%2Fwhy-more-and-more-phishing-attacks-are-going-after-mobile-users%2F "Share via Email") ![Phish Protection blog post image](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2019/02/Essential-Phishing-Statistics-To-Know.jpg) Phishing attacks are hard to stop because hackers are extremely sophisticated and they use every method available. What hackers have discovered is that one of the best methods available is to [target mobile devices](https://www.csoonline.com/article/3268109/phishing/the-rise-of-mobile-phishing-attacks-and-how-to-combat-them.html). As challenging as it is for users to identify well-constructed **phishing emails** on a desktop, it’s much more difficult on mobile devices and hackers know it. And they’re starting to take advantage of it. According to an article by security firm cyperscoop**,**[Phishing attacks against mobile devices rise 85 percent annually](https://www.cyberscoop.com/phishing-attacks-mobile-devices-lookout/)\*\*. \*\* Why is that? From the article, “I\_t’s harder to spot phishing websites on mobile devices\_ compared to a desktop computer which puts the most important device in people’s lives at a distinct disadvantage. As a result, mobile users are historically more likely to fall for phishing attacks.” It used to be that [malware](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/27/technology/personaltech/escaping-malware-trap.html) was the big threat to mobile devices.[Not anymore](https://www.csoonline.com/article/3268109/phishing/the-rise-of-mobile-phishing-attacks-and-how-to-combat-them.html). “Though malware has claimed the lion’s share of **mobile-related security** headlines, phishing is actually a much bigger threat. Users on a mobile device are **18 times** more likely to be exposed to phishing, than to malware, according to Dr. Michael J. Covington, VP of Product at [Wandera](https://www.wandera.com/), a mobile security vendor.” One phishing attack against mobile devices is so good, it fools almost everyone who encounters it because it doesn’t look like a phishing attack at all. This[new form of phishing](https://www.knowbe4.com/)is a type of **clickjacking** which incorporates an invisible link. The **invisible link** is covered by a “bothersome” graphic element that’s made to look like a small hair or a speck of dust. This tricks the user into wiping the hair or dust off the mobile’s screen which activates the link and launches a connection back to a [rogue website](https://safebrowsing.google.com/safebrowsing/report%5Fphish/). In another recent attack aimed specifically at mobile devices, Google Translate was used to serve fake login pages to **Google and Facebook** users.[According to an article on SecurityWeek](https://www.securityweek.com/phishers-serve-fake-login-pages-google-translate),“The attack started with a basic notification sent to the intended victim’s email address. When viewed on a mobile phone, the message is condensed and seems legitimate. However, _if the user switches to a desktop PC_, it becomes clear that the email is a phishing attempt.” Humans are no match for these advanced [phishing techniques](https://www.pentestgeek.com/phishing/how-do-i-phish-advanced-email-phishing-tactics) targeting mobile devices. If enough people at your organization receive one of these emails, _someone’s going to get phished_. > The only chance you have to protect your users is to deploy cloud-based [phishing protection](/) with real-time link scanning. ![Essential Phishing Statistics To Know](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2019/02/Essential-Phishing-Statistics-To-Know.jpg) Unlike humans, link scanners aren’t fooled by misleading and [hard to read links](https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-test-a-suspicious-link-without-clicking-it-2487171). _All they see is the underlying HTML code, and there’s no way to fool a link scanner with that_. And the protection must be[cloud-based](/). A cloud-based link scanner sits between the mobile device and the malicious website. That gives it a chance to check and block the email before it ever reaches the client’s mobile device. Phishing attacks are **hard to spot on mobile devices**. If you’re a small business on a limited budget, but you’d still like to be protected from advanced phishing techniques like these, there’s good news. You can now get**advanced phishing technology**at a price that fits your budget. To learn more about how [PhishProtection](/) can protect your small or mid-size business from phishing attacks, including those specifically targeting mobile devices. ## Topics [ Phishing ](/tags/phishing/)[ Phishing Awareness ](/tags/phishing-awareness/) ![Brad Slavin](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/authors/brad-slavin.jpg) [ Brad Slavin ](/authors/brad-slavin/) General Manager Founder and General Manager of DuoCircle. Product strategy and commercial lead across DuoCircle's 2,000+ customer base. [LinkedIn Profile →](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradslavin) ## Protect your inbox from phishing attacks Real-time email security with 60-day free trial. No credit card required. [Start Free Trial](https://portal.duocircle.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=101&brand=phishprotection) [View Pricing](/pricing/) ## Related Articles [ Foundational 5m 0ktapus, Okta Breach Helps Attackers Launch Sophisticated Supply Chain Attacks Sep 5, 2022 ](/blog/0ktapus-okta-breach-helps-attackers-launch-sophisticated-supply-chain-attacks/)[ Foundational 23m Anatomy of a Trust-Based Attack: Deconstructing the Nifty.com Phishing Campaign and the New Frontier of Corporate Defense Jun 10, 2025 ](/blog/anatomy-of-a-trust-based-attack-deconstructing-the-nifty-com-phishing-campaign-and-the-new-frontier-of-corporate-defense/)[ Foundational 5m Business Essentials: The Top Email Marketing Security Strategies for 2023 Dec 13, 2022 ](/blog/business-essentials-top-email-marketing-security-strategies-2023/)[ Foundational 5m Interserve Fined $5 Million by ICO and Why Anti-Phishing Measures are the Need of the Hour Oct 28, 2022 ](/blog/interserve-fined-5-million-ico-anti-phishing-measures-hour/) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://phishprotection.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://phishprotection.com/images/phishprotection-logo.png"},"description":"Advanced phishing protection and email security for businesses. 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