Tag Archive for: cryptocurrencies

International Ransomware Gangs Are Evolving Their Techniques. The Next Generation Of Hackers Will Target Weaknesses In Cryptocurrencies

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(MENAFN– The Conversation) In May 2023, the Dallas City Government was hugely disrupted by a ransomware attack. Ransomware attacks are so-called because the hackers behind them encrypt vital data and demand a ransom in order to get the information decrypted.

The attack in Dallas put a halt to hearings, trials and jury duty, and the eventual closure of the Dallas Municipal Court Building. It also had an indirect effect on wider police activities, with stretched resources affecting the ability to deliver, for example, summer youth programmes . The criminals threatened to publish sensitive data, including personal information, court cases, prisoner identities and government documents.

One might imagine an attack on a city government and police force causing widespread and lengthy disruption would be headline news. But ransomware attacks are now so common and routine that most pass with barely a ripple of attention. One notable exception happened in May and June 2023 when hackers exploited a vulnerability in the Moveit file transfer app which led to data theft from hundreds of organisations around the world. That attack grabbed headlines, perhaps because of the high profile victims, reported to include British Airways, the BBC and the chemist chain Boots.

According to one recent survey , ransomware payments have nearly doubled to US$1.5 million (£1.2 million) over the past year, with the highest-earning organisations the most likely to pay attackers. Sophos, a British cybersecurity firm, found that the average ransomware payment rose from US$812,000 the previyear. The average payment by UK organisations in 2023 was even higher than the global average, at US$2.1 million.

Meanwhile, in 2022 The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) issued new guidance urging organisations to bolster their defences amid fears of more state-sponsored cyber attacks linked to the conflict in Ukraine. It follows a series of cyber attacks in Ukraine which are suspected to have involved Russia, which Moscow denies.

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Cyber ​​Security Gaps Expose Latin Americans to Online Fraud | Technology | Cyber ​​Attacks | Investments | Cryptocurrencies | Scams |

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Realizing she was out, Gabriella Batalha didn’t think much of it Instagram, It wasn’t until the next day that she discovered her account was full of ads Investments Inside Cryptocurrencies High performance.

The 27-year-old lawyer from Rio de Janeiro had to pay 200 reais (about US$40) to restore his account. “consultant” He says he found a guy on YouTube who might be a scammer. “It took me two days to recover my account and I was very stressed”He explained.

Patalha was not the only one. Online scams on the rise in Brazil 65% Last year, there were more than 200,000, according to data from the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook published last month.

Also Read: Application Loans: Three Precautions to Avoid Scams and Extortion

Across Latin America, online fraud and cyberattacks are “at an all-time high,” said cybersecurity firm Tenable, posing an urgent problem for the well-connected region.

Recent advances in technology inclusion in Latin America have created new opportunities for fraud, experts say, as the epidemic spurs a trend toward mobile banking and shopping using payment systems like Brazil’s most popular PIX.

The region is increasingly online. In 2022, the 77.9% Compared to Latin America and the Caribbean, people used the Internet 74.8% Above the previous year and world rate 66.3%According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

According to a report by Internet security company Kaspersky, half of Latin American Internet users spend an average of six hours a day on social networks.

“Growing dependence on new technologies has made it easier for cybercriminals to attack more often”said Kerry-Ann Barrett, cybersecurity expert at the Organization of American States (OAS).

Threats are becoming more complex and costly, costing the region billions a year, Barrett noted.

In Peru, a gang defrauded a construction company of more than $62,000 by posing as a bank on a fake website, the attorney general’s office said.

In Mexico, fraudsters have targeted unsuspecting victims with fake job offers via text messages, prompting victims to share sensitive personal data, according to local press reports.

“Latin America is a priority target…

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New malware NullMixer hunts for users’ payment data, cryptocurrencies, social network accounts

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Kaspersky researchers have uncovered a new campaign, spreading NullMixer — a malware stealing users’ credentials, addresses, credit card data, cryptocurrencies, and even Facebook and Amazon accounts. Trying to download cracked software from third-party sites, more than 47,500 users were attacked with NullMixer, able to spy on users, capturing any information they’re entering on the keyboard.

NullMixer is actively distributed by cybercriminals via websites offering crack, keygen and activators for downloading software illegally. Such untrustworthy pages always pose a threat for users as instead of providing proper software, they infect victims’ devices with malware. In most cases, users receive adware or other unwanted software, but NullMixer is far more dangerous, as it can download a huge number of Trojans at once, which can lead to a large-scale infection of any computer network.

A typical infection takes place when attempting to download cracked software from one of these sites. The user is repeatedly redirected to a page containing a password-protected archived program and detailed instructions. Everything looks normal as if the user is really about to download the software they need. However, following the instructions, the victim actually launches NullMixer, which drops multiple malware files on the infected machine, including downloaders, spyware, backdoors, bankers and other threats.

Trying to install the desired software the user also receives the detailed download instructions
Trying to install the desired software the user also receives the detailed download instructions

Among the threat families spread via NullMixer is the infamous RedLine stealer that hunts for credit card and cryptocurrency wallet data from infected machines, as well as Disbuk, also known as Socelar. Stealing cookies from Facebook and Amazon with Disbuk, attackers can gain access to the victim’s accounts from these sites, obtaining their credentials, addresses and even payment details.

Curiously, cybercriminals specifically used professional SEO tools in order to maintain the first results of search engines, so they could easily be found when searching for “cracks” and “keygens” over the Internet and could target as many users as possible.

Top Google engine results for “crack software” contain malicious websites delivering NullMixer
Top Google engine results…

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Cryptocurrencies are all the rage, But is your money in safe hands?

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From billionaire Elon Musk to Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan joining the crypto space, the hype around cryptocurrency is growing and the prices of these digital coins are seeing a spike as well. But while the crypto coins do give a high rate of returns, they are equally susceptible to cyber attacks.

Cybercriminals are now taking advantage of the ongoing craze around Bitcoin to trick potential victims and steal their digital money, reveals research by Barracuda, a provider of cloud-enabled security solutions. At least 7,000 people lost more than $80 million in crypto scams between October 2020 and March 2021 — a 1,000% increase from a year ago, according to the US Federal Trade Commission.

Meanwhile, blockchain hackers are not only targeting crypto holders but also crypto exchanges, according to Atlas VPN. Their study showed that $3.78 billion worth of digital assets were stolen across 122 attacks in 2020. More recently, in one of the biggest cryptocurrency heists ever, a group of hackers in August stole $613 million in digital coins from token-swapping platform Poly Network. While the company claims that hackers behind the heist have now returned nearly half of the tokens they stole, but in the world of cryptocurrency, there are no guarantees.

How are cybercriminals using crypto as a scamming tool?

Fueled by the craze around Bitcoin, the value of cryptocurrencies increased by almost 400 per cent between October 2020 and April 2021. The growing value of cryptocurrencies also saw an increase in email compromise attacks by 192 per cent between October 2020 and May 2021, reported Barracuda.

It is worth noting that the digital format of cryptocurrencies makes them decentralised in nature and without any regulations, and thus the currency has become a safer choice for cybercriminals. Hackers use Bitcoin to get paid in extortion attacks where they claim to have a compromising video or information that will be released to the public if the victim does not pay.

Cyber hackers now target and personalise fake emails to get victims to purchase Bitcoin, donate them to fake charities, or even pay a fake vendor invoice using cryptocurrency.

What are crypto wallets? How safe are crypto…

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