Smartphones Hold Sensitive Data, But Security Habits Lag

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20, 2026 – Kaspersky’s latest Asia-Pacific (APAC) survey, which included Malaysian respondents, reveals that smartphones have overtaken PCs as the primary gateway to the internet, but users’ security practices are not keeping pace with the sensitive data stored on these devices.

According to the study, 72% of APAC respondents – including Malaysians – rely on smartphones as their main device for online access. With this shift, the volume of personal and professional data stored on phones has grown significantly. Personal photos and videos top the list (65%), followed by contacts (57%), text messages (50%), and personal documents such as IDs and insurance papers (49%). Work-related data is also common, with 47% storing emails and 31% calendars. Financial information is increasingly vulnerable, with 38% keeping banking details and 34% saving passwords.

Malaysian users show even broader reliance, with higher rates of storing work emails (52%), shopping information (49%), notes (46%), and AI chat histories (31%). This highlights how smartphones have evolved into central repositories of digital lives.

Cybersecurity expert Anton Kivva noted: “The question is no longer what we store, but how we protect it.” Kaspersky recommends a three-step plan:

Smartphones

Backups: Never rely solely on a phone; sensitive data should be backed up or stored securely.
Comprehensive protection: Mobile devices need the same level of cyber defense as PCs, including AI-driven threat detection.
Scenario planning: Enable location services, automatic backups, and instant autolock to minimize risks from theft or loss.

In Malaysia alone, Kaspersky blocked 18.8 million web-based cyber threats in 2025, averaging 51,000 daily incidents. Adrian Hia, Kaspersky’s APAC Managing Director, emphasized that smartphones are now “where we manage finances, work, memories, and increasingly turn to AI-powered assistants,” making robust mobile cybersecurity essential.

The survey, conducted in March 2026 with 7,200 respondents across 18 countries, underscores the urgent need for stronger mobile protection as smartphones become indispensable to modern life.

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