An as of late found type of malware takes browser cookies and other data on victims’ Apple Mac PCs to take cryptocurrencies.
Researchers at cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks distributed a report on Thursday, saying that the malware, named “CookieMiner,” intercepts browser cookies related to cryptocurrency exchanges and wallet service providers’ websites visited by the victims.
The malicious code targets trades including Binance, Coinbase, Poloniex, Bittrex, Bitstamp and MyEtherWallet, just as any website having “blockchain” in its area name, the researchers found.
It likewise endeavors to take credit card information from major issuers, for example, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, just as spared usernames and passwords in Chrome, iPhone instant messages that are backed up to iTunes and crypto wallet keys.
In the event that successful at taking those subtleties, hackers can gain full access to victims’ crypto exchange and wallet accounts to steal funds.
The researchers told:
“CookieMiner tries to navigate past the authentication process by stealing a combination of the login credentials, text messages, and web cookies.”
The malware has another string to its bow too – it changes a victim’s system configuration to maliciously load crypto mining software. The coinminer is similar to a variant that mines monero, but instead targets a lesser-known cryptocurrency called Koto, the researchers said.
The researchers suggested that cryptocurrency users should keep “an eye on their security settings and digital assets to prevent compromise and leakage.” They also noted that the malware checks if an application firewall program called Little Snitch is running on a victim’s computer. “If so, it will stop and exit,” they said
Monero is by far the most prevalent cryptocurrency among hackers, however. A month ago, a study by college researchers showed that hackers have mined almost 5 percent of the total monero in circulation.
Arrangements of crypto-mining malware are quickly growing in number. An examination from McAfee, distributed in December, demonstrated that there were about 4 million new mining malware threats in the third quarter of 2018 alone, compared to less than 500,000 in 2017 and 2016.