Apple users warned of Bitcoin security fears
A recently released security report confirmed what information security professionals have been seeing over the past few months: a surge in Bitcoin prices fueling a massive increase in password theft attacks. What’s perhaps surprising is that it’s Apple users who are most often in the crosshairs of crypto hackers.
As Bitcoin Hits $100,000, Apple Password Hacking Attacks Reach Pandemic Levels
The security publisher ESET has just published its new threat report which examines threat trends from June to November 2024. While this is in no way surprising to those who have been paying attention, such as those who have read my articles here, for example, it does not mean that the report is without shock. -moments of wonder.
The 335% increase in social media scams, such as AI deepfake and brand impersonation phishing attacks on these platforms, is neither shocking nor impressive considering the period of year. The fact that threat groups aligned with China, North Korea, and Iran have become more active when it comes to targeted ransomware attacks also no longer falls into the shocking category, sad to say. What also didn’t take my breath away was the fact that password theft attacks targeting cryptocurrency wallets have increased following the rise in the value of Bitcoin. What happened, however, was that the most dramatic increase was seen in attacks targeting macOS users.
“According to ESET telemetry data from the second half of 2024,” the report states, “the number of cryptostealers increased across multiple platforms, particularly Windows, macOS, and Android.” However, password thieves targeting cryptocurrency wallets on macOS more than doubled their detections compared to the first half of the year. “Meanwhile,” ESET said, “Windows cryptocurrency thieves increased by 56% and Android financial threats, which include cryptocurrency-stealing malware, by 20%. »
127% increase in password stealing software on macOS following Bitcoin price rise
ESET’s analysis found a 127% increase in what it calls password stealing software on the macOS platform, targeting credentials linked to cryptocurrency wallets. “While these threats cannot be classified solely as crypto stealers due to their broader functionality,” ESET security researchers said, they are indicative of the growing trend of crypto stealing activities on macOS .
Much of this increase can be attributed to a family of malware known as Atomic Stealer or AMOS, which has spawned numerous imitators due to its success. “Since its inception in 2023,” ESET confirmed, “various variants and copycats of AMOS have appeared both for sale on the black market and in the wild.”
As cryptocurrencies reach record values, ESET Threat Detection Director Jiří Kropáč said that cryptocurrency wallet data is one of the main targets for malicious actors. “The second half of 2024 appears to have kept cybercriminals busy finding security vulnerabilities and innovative ways to expand their victim pool,” Kropáč said, “in the usual game of cat and mouse with defenders.”
When it comes to geographies, ESET’s analysis highlights most detections of these macOS Bitcoin and other crypto attacks targeting the United States, followed by Italy, China, Spain and the Japan.
