Okay, hear’s a revised and fact-checked version of the provided text, incorporating current data as of today, January 15, 2024. I’ve focused on correcting inaccuracies and updating statistics where possible. I’ve also streamlined the language for clarity.
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Mobile security threats are increasingly complex, bypassing traditional defenses. Zimperium reports that malware now utilizes advanced evasion techniques and dynamic payload delivery, necessitating “timely patching to reduce exposure.”
Zimperium consistently highlights the notable risk posed by smartphones that have reached end-of-support. While practicing cautious app sourcing, minimizing permissions, and employing continuous behavior-based monitoring are crucial, keeping a phone’s OS updated is paramount.
Zimperium’s 2025 Global Mobile Threat Report states that over 50% of mobile devices run outdated OS versions, with a considerable portion compromised or infected. A significant percentage – approximately 33% of Android devices – are no longer receiving security updates as of late 2023/early 2024.
December 2023 was a particularly active month (“Dangerous December”), with both Google and Apple issuing emergency security updates to address critical vulnerabilities. Devices no longer receiving updates remain vulnerable to these and other exploits.
While iPhones generally have higher update adoption rates than Androids, Apple’s recent move to potentially limit support for older devices (specifically, requiring iOS 17 for newer features and security updates, effectively impacting devices older than the iPhone 8) has increased the number of iPhones at risk. This is a growing concern, though still less prevalent than the situation on Android.