Security is ever the worry with new technologies and this is especially true for mobile payments, where new technology meets financial access. Usually, as a technology matures, threats are gradually neutralized. But ThreatMetrix, a provider of cybercrime security solutions, has some sobering news for mobile payments relating to security: The worst is still to come and 2013 will be a banner year for fraudsters.

"This year, cybercriminals have become so advanced that security professionals are struggling to detect many of their attacks in a timely manner," said Andreas Baumhof, chief technology officer at ThreatMetrix. "As nearly every industry is increasingly targeted, businesses and consumers must make cybersecurity a top priority in 2013 to prevent fraud and malware attacks."

In a report released by ThreatMetrix, top cybersecurity trends and risks for 2013 included threats against mobile, alternative and emerging payments.

Threats from malware that once targeted financial institutions will increasingly affect retailers, alternative payment methods and digital currencies, ThreatMetrix reported. To blame for the expansion of malware attacks on these targets is the lack of stringent levels of malware protection developed for these channels as opposed to FIs.

Besides this, retailers and FIs both lack the bandwidth to monitor every transaction as the number of transactions on mobile increase, ThreatMetrix said. This puts the responsibility for protecting accounts squarely on consumers.

And it's not just devices and individual accounts that are at risk, either. According to the ThreatMetrix report, data breaches and attacks on secure facilities will continue to attract hackers as well.

"As more business transactions and activities move online, almost no industry is completely safe from fraud," said Baumhof. "The best way for businesses and consumers to stay protected is to put preventative measures in place before it's too late."

Baumhof also warned against apathy. "While cybersecurity and fraud prevention seems unnecessary for some businesses, cybercriminals are so sophisticated today that they can't be kept at bay for long without appropriate strategies in place," he said.

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