tech
Cybersecurity: Payments you make with your phone will be targeted by hackers in 2026
A report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky warns that mobile payments made via smartphones will be a prime target for hackers this year. The alert focuses on the use of technologies such as NFC (near field communication) and the growing adoption of digital financial services powered by artificial intelligence.
TL;DR
- Mobile payments via smartphones will be a prime target for hackers in 2026.
- Hackers will combine social engineering, deepfakes, and adaptive viruses.
- Attacks may spread through messaging apps using Trojan-infected files.
- Risks in contactless payments include modified QR codes and altered terminals.
- Brazil experienced a massive $148 million attack on its PIX payments infrastructure in 2025.
- Generative AI could fuel deepfake-based fraud, impersonating individuals for money transfers.
- New AI-powered malware will be capable of real-time adaptation to evade defenses.
- Preventative measures include avoiding suspicious files and reviewing bank statements.