YouTube Used by Cybercriminals
With the use of Youtube, cybercriminals behind the Stantinko botnet have been handing out a Monero (XMR) cryptocurrency mining module. The Slovakian software security firm Eset was the one who revealed this information.
In a report of major antivirus software supplier Eset on November 26, the Stantinko botnet operators have broadened their criminal reach. Moreover, it is from slick fraud, ad injection, social network fraus, and password-stealing attacks, into installing crypto-malware on victim’s devices using Youtube.
Since 2012, the Stantinko botnet has been on the action. It predominantly targets users in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine. According to a report, it uses YouTube channels to distribute its cryptojacking module. This is the one that mines the privacy-focused crypto coin Monero on the CPUs of unsuspecting victims.
In addition to that, this crypto-stealing malware has affected about 500,000 devices. Seems like it is comparable to the recently discovered malicious malware, Dexphot. It is a malware found by Microsoft, which has already infected over 80,000 computers.
Also, these crypto-hijacking codes take processing resources and take over legitimate system processes. Then, it alters the nefarious activity with the ultimate goal of operating a crypto miner on the infected devices.
Eset already informed YouTube. And it reportedly responded by eliminating all channels, which have traces of Stantinko’s code.
Bitcoin Hovers Around $7,200
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, most cryptocurrencies went back to trading sideways, including Bitcoin (BTC). It started Tuesday at a $7,140 price mark. Then, the world’s largest crypto coin reached an intra-day high of $7,320. After that, its recent trading price was near $7,190.
Aside from that, Bitcoin is still down about 12% from the weekly open of $8,200. Then, over the month, investors have lost almost $2,000 per coin.
Regular Cointelegraph contributor Filb Filb stated that the support at $6,500 was more than enough for the bulls. But he also indicated that there is a chance that Bitcoin might need to have more business in the $6k price region.
