Appdome's 2024 US Consumer Survey Finds Peak Demand for Mobile Security Digital IT News

Appdome released findings from its 4th Annual 2024 US Consumer Survey on Mobile Security Expectations, showing that American mobile users are increasingly concerned about security, fraud, and AI-related threats in mobile apps. The survey also highlights that consumer expectations for mobile brands and enterprises to strengthen in-app defenses have reached their highest level in four years.

Appdome’s Global Consumer Survey is the largest single collection of consumer data on mobile app security, anti-fraud, and other cyber expectations among consumers. The 2024 survey data adds to the 120,000+ consumer voices gathered from 12 countries. United States consumers download over 12.5 billion mobile apps to shop, work, eat, travel, play games and more. For them, mobile app security, malware protection, fraud prevention, identity fraud and account takeover (ATO) defenses are as important as the features in a mobile app. These defenses are also critical to whether they stay with or promote a mobile brand.

“The risk from Artificial Intelligence (AI), fraud, and malware in mobile apps has really pushed consumer expectations higher in the United States,” said Tom Tovar, co-creator and CEO of Appdome. “When you look at the data on AI-related risks alone, there’s a slight optimism among consumers. But, when you look at the data on the whole, it’s clear consumers want more and better defenses, integrated threat responses, and better defense transparency in combatting these threats.”

Here are key areas where US consumer expectations hit all-time highs:

Mobile vs. Web: More than 50% of U.S. consumers now prefer using mobile apps for purchases, dwarfing the 20% who prefer using online/web for purchasing.
Complete Protection: In 2024, 56% of U.S. consumers stated that total protection in mobile apps, i.e., protecting mobile data, accounts, login, purchases, and protection from malware and fraud – are critical in their decision to use or download an app.
Experience with Mobile Fraud: 38.4% of this year’s U.S. respondents reported first- or second-hand personal experiences with cyber-attacks, fraud, and malware via mobile applications.
Prevention vs. Reimbursement: 87% of U.S. consumers said mobile brands should proactively prevent mobile fraud rather than reimburse users post-fraud.
Better Features vs. Better Security: 90% of U.S. consumers say that mobile app protection is equally or more important than mobile app features, with 88.5% saying they evaluate the security claims of the brand before downloading a mobile app.
Fear Brand Inaction: 27% of U.S. consumers, the highest in any country globally, said they fear brands “don’t care” about protecting mobile users, an increase of 337%.

“Given the diversity of attack vectors, mobile devices, OSs and lack of skilled resources out there, brands have a hard time protecting mobile apps and users,” said Alan Bavosa, VP of Security Products at Appdome. “At the same time, AI and other technical innovations available to attackers can now accelerate past defenders relying on legacy, SDK and manual solutions for Android & iOS defense. Consumers get that.”

The Appdome 2024 US Consumer Survey also revealed this silver lining for mobile brands:

Shifted Responsibility: 69% of U.S. consumers said that “the maker of the mobile app” has primary responsibility for protecting the app and user experience.
Churn when things go wrong: 73% of U.S. consumers responded that they would “likely” or “very likely” abandon a mobile app if they learned the mobile brand didn’t protect them, their data, or their use of the app.
Rewarding the Most Secure Brands: 92.2% of U.S. consumers state they will become brand advocates for mobile brands that protect their apps and use. Nearly half (48%) said they would use the highest forms of advocacy, such as app store reviews or social media endorsements to promote the brand.

“Overall, Americans’ expectation that the mobile apps they use will protect them from threats and attacks continues to rise,” said Brian Reed, SVP of Marketing at Appdome, “While the tendency to abandon a brand for breaches or suspected lack of security remained relatively constant year over year, the good news is that consumers’ willingness to promote the brands that take security seriously definitely rose higher.”

To create the 2024 US Consumer survey, Appdome partnered with the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) and included survey questions that measures consumer alignment with the OWASP Mobile Application Security (MAS) standard, as well as anti-fraud and other cyber objectives.

To obtain Appdome’s 4th Annual 2024 US Consumer survey “US Consumer Expectations of Mobile App Security Survey,” visit the website here.

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