As cyber criminals adopt a mobile-first attack strategy, mobile has become a primary entry point for modern threats. This includes the rapid rise of mishing—mobile-targeted phishing attacks delivered through SMS, messaging apps, QR codes, and social platforms—designed to compromise devices, hijack active sessions, and enable downstream activity such as account takeover and unauthorised transactions. These attacks originate directly on mobile devices and within mobile apps, where traditional security tools lack visibility.

Convergence of cyber crime and fraud

The UK Government’s Fraud Strategy 2026–2029 reflects this shift, highlighting the increasing convergence of cyber crime and fraud, with specific emphasis on mobile-driven threats including social engineering, SIM swapping, phishing, and AI-enabled scams. As threats continue to move closer to the user and their device, mobile security has become a critical layer in protecting digital banking, citizen services, and enterprise applications.

Through this partnership, ABC Distribution will deliver Zimperium’s mobile threat defense and mobile app protection capabilities to partners across the UK, enabling organisations to detect and stop mobile-targeted attacks in real time, identify threats originating from compromised devices and applications, strengthen device trust beyond identity-based controls, and protect mobile applications from malware and exploitation.

“Mobile is now central to how modern threats are executed, from initial compromise through to transaction,” said Andy Fleet, Regional Vice President of EMEA at Zimperium. “The UK Government’s Fraud Strategy reinforces a critical reality: threats increasingly originate on mobile devices, and identity alone is no longer enough. Organisations need visibility into mobile risk to understand what is actually happening and respond in time to stop real impact. Our partnership with ABC Distribution helps bring that visibility and protection to organisations across the UK.”

ABC Distribution will support channel partners with access to Zimperium’s mobile security platform and the enablement needed to scale protection across key sectors including financial services, telecommunications, government, and critical infrastructure.

Rapidly evolving mobile threats

“Mobile threats have evolved incredibly quickly over the last few years, but many organisations are still relying on security models that were never designed to deal with attacks happening directly on the device,” said Chris Walsh, Managing Director at ABC Distribution. “What makes Zimperium different is the visibility it gives organisations into genuine mobile risk, whether that’s phishing, compromised applications or malicious activity happening in real time on the device itself. As mobile becomes a bigger part of how people work and transact, this is an area of security that businesses simply can’t afford to overlook. By partnering with Zimperium, we’re enabling our partners to help customers identify those real mobile threats, understand how attacks unfold across devices and applications, and respond in minutes.”

The UK strategy also introduces the Online Crime Centre (OCC), designed to improve intelligence sharing across government, law enforcement, telecoms, financial services, and technology providers. Mobile threat telemetry provides critical visibility into attack activity originating on mobile devices, helping organisations detect threats earlier and contribute to broader intelligence-sharing efforts.