Relatório de ameaças aponta para um aumento no número de vírus que mineram criptomoedas

Cybersecurity companies Kaspersky Lab and McAfee have released a threat report pointing to an increase in the number of viruses that mine so-called "cryptocurrencies." They warn that USB storage devices are also being used to spread these pests, where they already account for 1/10 of attacks. Although less common than ransomware, cryptocurrency mining malware has quickly assumed a prominent position in the threat landscape. By the first half of 2018, McAfee had found a total of 2.9 million samples (different files, even if with similar code) capable of cryptocurrency mining. In the second quarter, another 2.5 million were found, totaling 5.4 million samples. Although ransomware remains the main threat, some have already been "recycled" to include mining components.

In the case of USB devices, Kaspersky Lab explains that the risk is greater in emerging markets, where USB drives are still commonly used in commercial environments.

Cryptocurrency mining viruses are digital pests that operate silently after installing themselves on a computer. They may or may not steal information stored on the machine, but their main activity is to use the computer's processing power to perform the calculations involved in cryptocurrency mining so that hackers pocket the "prize" for solving the so-called "blocks" that group cryptocurrency transactions.

This type of attack has some advantages for criminals. One is the ease of realizing gains, eliminating the need for money mules to withdraw or receive money from stolen accounts, since it is difficult to associate gains and coins with specific individuals – typically, scammers participate in "mining pools," which dilute the prizes. It is a kind of "digital betting pool."

Another advantage is that victims may not realize they are infected by a virus. Only computer performance and battery life are affected, but many of these codes try to hide when the victim opens "Task Manager" to check processor usage.

It is important to note that, although the main target of cryptocurrency mining is computers, they do not only attack Windows users. They have already attacked Linux users through "add-ons" and are turning other devices into frequent victims, including devices of the so-called "internet of things," such as surveillance cameras and home routers.

Source: Globo