As travel surges this summer, Zimperium is sounding the alarm on escalating mobile cyber-threats targeting employees on the move.

According to new threat intelligence from Zimperium, over five million unsecured public Wi-Fi networks have been detected globally since the beginning of 2025 – with 33% of users still connecting to these open networks, putting enterprise data at immediate risk.

Kern Smith, VP of Global Solutions, Zimperium said: “Mobile devices are now a primary gateway to corporate data, but during travel, they’re also the most vulnerable.

“Unsecured Wi-Fi, phishing disguised as travel alerts and risky sideloaded apps are creating an ideal attack surface for cyber-criminals – especially in peak travel months.”

Global hotspots and Rising threats

Zimperium’s researchers have reportedly identified significant spikes in malware activity across Southeast Asia, with Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines experiencing some of the highest infection volumes.

The company has reported that Luxembourg has emerged as a global outlier with elevated malware targeting international travellers and corporate devices.

A mobile-first attack strategy

According to the Zimperium 2025 Global Mobile Threat Report, attackers are actively shifting to a mobile-first attack strategy. The most common threats facing traveling employees include:

• Man-in-the-Middle (MiTM) Attacks via public or rogue Wi-Fi
• Phishing disguised as travel alerts, such as fake itineraries or boarding passes
• Risky sideloaded apps downloaded during travel
• Captive portals collecting emails or phone numbers, increasing phishing risk

Smith articulated: “These are not hypothetical threats. They’re happening now and they’re hitting devices that may lack even basic protection.”

A call to action

Zimperium is urging organisations to ensure visibility into all mobile endpoints, enforce device compliance and block connections to unsecured networks.

Businesses are encouraged to adopt enterprise-grade mobile threat defence to protect employee devices during travel.