Singaporeans Have High Expectations for Mobile App Security and Anti-Fraud Measures, Appdome Survey Finds

Appdome, the mobile economy’s only cyber defence automation platform, has released the results of its second annual Singapore Consumer Expectation of Mobile App Security survey, which polled 25,000 consumers. The survey found that Singaporeans have higher expectations for mobile app security, anti-fraud measures, and on-device malware protection compared to their global peers.

The survey revealed that 59.2% of Singaporeans prefer using mobile apps over web channels, which is an increase of 8% compared to the previous year, and 10.7% more likely to choose mobile apps first than their global peers. Additionally, 59% of Singaporeans believe mobile banking apps and eWallets need the highest level of security, compared to 52.9% globally. On-device malware concerns also jumped significantly among Singapore consumers, up 222% when compared to similar findings from 2021, and 32.2% higher than the global baseline.

Tom Tovar, CEO and co-creator of Appdome, said that Singaporean mobile consumers are more concerned about hackers, mobile fraud, and on-device malware attacks than their global peers. He added that the survey’s results are designed to help mobile developers, cyber security professionals, and brands adapt their mobile app security and mobile anti-fraud strategies to consumers’ expectations for protection.

The survey also found that Singaporeans are more likely to advocate a brand when their security expectations are met. When asked how likely they would recommend an application that protected their data and use of the app, 27.9% of Singaporean consumers said they would post a positive app store review, and 29.1% said they would promote a brand on social media. Combining all forms of advocacy, 96% of Singaporeans will reward brands that protect them versus 93.8% globally.

Overall, 83.9% of Singaporeans ranked protection against security threats, fraud, and malware as equally or more important than new features in mobile apps. Singaporeans stated their top fears as hacking, mobile fraud, and malware. Interestingly, 25.9% of respondents said, “developers don’t care about my security,” which is an increase of 224% compared to last year’s results.

The Appdome survey included respondents from across the demographic spectrum, including Android & iOS users, genders, countries, and economic backgrounds. The full report, or country-specific or demographic-specific reports, can be found at https://www.appdome.com/global-consumer-security-survey/.