This year, cybercriminal activity related to the holiday season has started earlier than was the case in previous years, researchers with Avira Protection Lab warn. In 2018, phishing rose by 61% during the September-December holiday shopping season. This year, phishing activity has been rising since July and in September the company detected 2.5 times more phishing URLs than last year.
Android systems are the most popular target for these campaigns, with Android malware detections typically rising by 50% during the holiday season. Holiday-themed scams targeting Android include malicious coupon apps that push Banking Trojans, adware and other threats.
Read more: They See You When You’re Shopping: Holiday Cybercrime Starts Early
