article thumbnail

Illegal Content and the Blockchain

Schneier on Security

Now the content-delivery network Akamai has reported on a new method: a botnet that uses the Bitcoin blockchain ledger. Since the blockchain is globally accessible and hard to take down, the botnet’s operators appear to be safe. What if someone puts illegal material in the blockchain? Most Bitcoin mining happens in China.

article thumbnail

A Cryptomining botnet abuses Bitcoin blockchain transactions as C2 backup mechanism

Security Affairs

Crooks are exploiting BTC blockchain transactions to hide backup command-and-control (C2) server addresses for a cryptomining botnet. Security experts from Akamai have spotted a new botnet used for illicit cryptocurrency mining activities that are abusing Bitcoin (BTC) transactions to implement a backup mechanism for C2.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

GUEST ESSAY: Tapping Bitcoin’s security — to put a stop to ‘51% attacks’ of cryptocurrency exchanges

The Last Watchdog

However, these attacks aren’t due to exchange security flaws; malicious actors are exploiting the underlying consensus protocols of blockchains themselves. Every blockchain uses a consensus protocol which allows all nodes on the network to agree on the current state of the blockchain.

article thumbnail

Norton 360 Now Comes With a Cryptominer

Krebs on Security

Norton 360 , one of the most popular antivirus products on the market today, has installed a cryptocurrency mining program on its customers’ computers. According to the FAQ posted on its site , “ Norton Crypto ” will mine Ethereum (ETH) cryptocurrency while the customer’s computer is idle. ” reads a Dec.

Mining 324
article thumbnail

North Korea Is Now Mining Crypto to Launder Its Stolen Loot

WIRED Threat Level

A spy group working for the Kim regime has been feeding stolen coins into crypto mining services in an effort to throw tracers off their trail.

Mining 73
article thumbnail

Cyber Security’s Impact on Climate Change: What Can Organisations Do?

IT Governance

Then there’s blockchain mining. In the early days of bitcoin mining, individuals could create new bitcoins using a standard computer set-up, but the process has grown so complex that it now requires a room full of specialised tools. Many people argue that the environmental cost of this is a necessary evil.

article thumbnail

Conti Ransomware Group Diaries, Part IV: Cryptocrime

Krebs on Security

One Conti top manager — aptly-named “ Stern ” because he incessantly needled Conti underlings to complete their assigned tasks — was obsessed with the idea of creating his own crypto scheme for cross-platform blockchain applications. “Like Netherium, Polkadot and Binance smart chain, etc.,” We release ddos.