Mobile Bots: The Next Evolution of Bad Bots

Bad bots have been roaming the internet since the early 2000s. They began as useful tools, but have been increasingly co-opted to achieve abuse and fraud. A new type of bot—the mobile bot—is used by hackers and fraudsters and are hiding in plain sight in your pocket. Launched from both smart devices and laptops in public places, mobile bots use cellular networks to hit their targets. Our research has shown that 5.8 percent of all mobile devices on cellular networks are used in bad bot attacks.