Between March and May, BlackBerry’s cybersecurity division thwarted over 1.5 million cyberattacks, unveiling malware families that attempt to take control of computers for mining or theft of cryptocurrencies.
Finance, healthcare, and government sectors were found to be the most affected, as per the BlackBerry report.
The report highlighted a prevalent malware named RedLine, a perennial financial threat involved in the collection of cryptocurrency and banking data.
Another significant threat was the Clop ransomware, a version of the CryptoMix ransomware family, which particularly aimed at banking and financial organizations, causing the data breach of Hatch Bank, a fintech platform.
The most widespread malware families in BlackBerry’s data include SmokeLoader, RaccoonStealer, and Vidar. SmokeLoader, dating back to 2011, has mainly been utilized by Russian-based threat actors to deploy crypto miners and other malware.
READ MORE: Decentralized Exchange on Coinbase’s Base Network Pauses Trading Amidst Concerns of Exploit
RaccoonStealer has been implicated in stealing cryptocurrency wallet data and is purportedly being traded on the dark web. Vidar is another malware extensively used to harvest cryptocurrency wallets.
Linux stood out as the most targeted operating system. BlackBerry suggests that organizations using Linux should frequently update their security patches, as hackers often hijack Linux-based computers to mine cryptocurrencies.
Atomic macOS, a new breed of infostealer, primarily targets macOS users, collecting credentials from keychains, browsers, and crypto wallets.
In response to the growing cybersecurity threat, OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT and Dall-e, announced a $1 million grant program to promote the development of AI-driven cybersecurity technologies.
The company stated in its official announcement, “Our aim is to foster the advancement of AI-driven cybersecurity capabilities for defenders through grants and additional assistance.”
This initiative underscores the urgent need for advanced cybersecurity measures in the face of an evolving threat landscape.
Other Stories:
U.S. Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss SEC Lawsuit Against Terraform Labs
Binance CEO CZ Unveils Plan to Launch Smaller Algorithmic Stablecoins
IRS Issues New Ruling: U.S. Crypto Investors Must Report Staking Rewards as Gross Income
