Where's My Bitcoin? "Cerber" Ransomware Starts Stealing Cryptocurrency Wallets

[Raevenlord]

"Where's my Bitcoin?" is a question no miner, investor or mere user in the cryptocurrency ever wants to have to ask. There's always someone willing to take advantage of someone else's hard work or subjection to risk in order to increase their own value; and if there's something years of cyber security have told us, is that hackers seldom lag in picking up new sources of undeserved revenue. So it was only a matter of time before general purpose ransomware started seeing updates so as to take advantage of the newer trends in valuable assets. Enter cryptocurrency. And you can probably guess the rest of this piece.

The new, updated Cerber ransomware routine now not only encrypts a user's files, it also looks for some specific, known Bitcoin wallet applications (namely, and as of time of writing, Bitcoin Core, Electrum, and Multibit), copies them to an external server controlled by the hackers, and proceeds to delete them from the user's PC. Naturally, Cerber also has a routine that handles copying passwords that are stored in your browser of choice. The wallet stealing and copying isn't much of a concern per se; there are additional security measures in any given wallet before the hackers can access their potential treasure trove of cryptocurrency. However, many people also keep files with passwords or some such on their computers; and could be doing a disfavor to themselves by not keeping another copy of their wallets on a secure, non-internet connected hardware wallet, or even USB pen. Naturally, a user who kept the password for their wallet on their system is vulnerable to the entire "ransomware" portion of the Cerber malware; and if someone doesn't even have another copy of their wallet but keeps an ungodly amount of value in it, could very well be facing losses towards the entirety of their wallet. Definitely not a good place to be.



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[TheMailMan78]

Good. I hope the lose it all. Cryptocurrency is trash.

 

[Slizzo]

Good. I hope the lose it all. Cryptocurrency is trash.

Any reason for this terrible statement? One mans trash is anothers' treasure and all that.

 

[WithoutWeakness]

Any reason for this terrible statement? One mans trash is anothers' treasure and all that.

Because they don't understand what concurrency is or how it works so to them it's stupid and a little scary and why is everyone talking about it all the time oh gosh nobody cares about Bitcoin I hope it gets stolen and is worth nothing and it's stupid and dumb.

For those of you who use cryptocurrencies - make offline backups of your wallet(s) and don't keep your coins in online exchanges. Online exchanges are not banks and cryptocurrency is completely unregulated. It's up to you to keep your coins safe.

 

[Bones]

Any reason for this terrible statement? One mans trash is anothers' treasure and all that.

Crypto currency isn't based on anything real or has anything of such backing it up. Wonder why such currencies keep going way up, then way down quickly as a trend with them?
Too volatile because there isn't anything to anchor the said value of it.

If for some reason such currency were to become the actual currency of wherever with today's standards, woudn't be long before the big crash would come and I mean hard. Yes it would happen sooner or later - Probrably sooner - Anything speculative is subject to being of a volatile nature and that's why it would happen simply due to how volatile it is period.

Gotta have something real to anchor it or it's like streamers in the wind.

 

[the54thvoid]

Crypto currency isn't based on anything real or has anything of such backing it up.

Neither does the dollar. There are so few commodity currencies (if any?) anymore. It's all fiat currency, backed up by a promise to pay a bearer who holds a note (a dollar). That dollar is not linked to gold it is linked to global markets and investments, sensitive to as much as a political miscommunication or a single stock crash. Money is no longer 'real' any more than bitcoin. People make money metaphorically out of thin air with the concept of interest on a loan, a speculation on a perceived rise, increases the rate and a fear of failure (no matter how misguided or unsubstantiated) will decrease a value. Speculation and 'investor' confidence dictate global values. Money is meaningless.

Cryptocurrency is just as valid as a fiat currency as long as there is a person willing to exchange goods for the coin.

I'm not defending crytpocurrency but highlighting it is very real and it is just as valid as a fiat currency whose value is dictated to by sociopathic traders, venture capitalists and greed. Frankly, we need to get back to barter and trade, money has made the world sick. I'll give you a potato for a glass of milk.

 

[Fx]

Good. I hope the lose it all. Cryptocurrency is trash.

I couldn't agree more.

I'm not defending crytpocurrency but highlighting it is very real and it is just as valid as a fiat currency whose value is dictated to by sociopathic traders, venture capitalists and greed. Frankly, we need to get back to barter and trade, money has made the world sick. I'll give you a potato for a glass of milk.

You make good points. I'm still of the opinion that we don't need more fiat currency BS than we already have to deal with. It's all manipulated funny money.

 

[Tartaros]

I'm not defending crytpocurrency but highlighting it is very real and it is just as valid as a fiat currency whose value is dictated to by sociopathic traders, venture capitalists and greed. Frankly, we need to get back to barter and trade, money has made the world sick. I'll give you a potato for a glass of milk.

The problem started when the barriers and balances were taken out for the sake of "freedom". What common people didn't realize is when some of these people shouted "freedom" they really meant "law of the jungle", as they are the modern predators.

And now if you try to put some sanity through law you get called tyrant or communist. There is no pacific solution, just wait to burn to cinders when this get totally out of control, like always.

 

[Solaris17]

I'll give you a potato for a glass of milk.

I think a big problem with barter markets is its too easy to become destitute. You eat the potato and now you have nothing.

 

[TheMailMan78]

Because they don't understand what concurrency is or how it works so to them it's stupid and a little scary and why is everyone talking about it all the time oh gosh nobody cares about Bitcoin I hope it gets stolen and is worth nothing and it's stupid and dumb.

For those of you who use cryptocurrencies - make offline backups of your wallet(s) and don't keep your coins in online exchanges. Online exchanges are not banks and cryptocurrency is completely unregulated. It's up to you to keep your coins safe.

Actually I know exactly what it is and it's origin. That's why I know it's trash. All it will take is one law and poof its all worthless. It's worth is trash and so are its minors.

 

[remixedcat]

Did someone from nvidia or AMD make this to get people to not buy GPUs to mine? I'm smellin somethin wierd here....

 

[natr0n]

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses, And all the King's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again!

 

[OneCool]

Did someone from nvidia or AMD make this to get people to not buy GPUs to mine? I'm smellin somethin wierd here....

Why do they care? They're selling their product?

 

[remixedcat]

the GPU vendors are hating the miners right now since there's some short stock for gamers... so this is prolly thier way of getting back... lol

 

[Bones]

Neither does the dollar. There are so few commodity currencies (if any?) anymore. It's all fiat currency, backed up by a promise to pay a bearer who holds a note (a dollar). That dollar is not linked to gold it is linked to global markets and investments, sensitive to as much as a political miscommunication or a single stock crash. Money is no longer 'real' any more than bitcoin. People make money metaphorically out of thin air with the concept of interest on a loan, a speculation on a perceived rise, increases the rate and a fear of failure (no matter how misguided or unsubstantiated) will decrease a value. Speculation and 'investor' confidence dictate global values. Money is meaningless.

Cryptocurrency is just as valid as a fiat currency as long as there is a person willing to exchange goods for the coin.

I'm not defending crytpocurrency but highlighting it is very real and it is just as valid as a fiat currency whose value is dictated to by sociopathic traders, venture capitalists and greed. Frankly, we need to get back to barter and trade, money has made the world sick. I'll give you a potato for a glass of milk.

With respect I must disagree to a point.
Things such as the dollar were created and established by an official ruling body or government, cryptocurrency was originally created by an individual, other crypo currencies created since are the same way and individuals can literally create their own money via mining.

True, nothing is backed nowadays but we do know at one time it was, crypto never was in the first place.

You also don't see crypo currency being used on things like stockmarkets, just for individual transactions. I can say it's also an appealing currency for those involved with criminal activities but then again real money is too but it's harder to track crypto than the real stuff which is one of it's favored traits for criminals and those that like it.
I could have gotten into it back in 2012 no prob and probrably would have a lot of it now if I did but even back then I saw the potential problems with it so I stayed out of it. With things like wallets being stolen, ransomed and such it's very likely I would have lost at least some of it by now.

And yes, all it would take is a law being passed and it's all for nothing making it and one's efforts/investment to mine it worthless.
If you want to do it, your call but I'll pass on it.

 

[R-T-B]

This has been happening since the early days of bitcoin. I see nothing really new here, just a new means to facilitate it.

the GPU vendors are hating the miners right now since there's some short stock for gamers... so this is prolly thier way of getting back... lol

The sentiment is far more mixed than that.

 

[Solaris17]

the GPU vendors are hating the miners right now since there's some short stock for gamers... so this is prolly thier way of getting back... lol

On the contrary, I dont think this is the case at all. I was talking about it with some of my techs today and I actually belive its the exact opposite.

GPU vendors want to make money. It doesnt matter to them if only miners buy them and even better if they drive up the price. Further more its even better for them since the demand for GPUs is at levels that are almost higher then they have ever been they even found a new market. Mining GPUs. Now they get the best of both worlds while catering to a new niche market.

Angry? Not a chance.

Any day the warehouse is sold out of GPUs is a good day for GPU manufacturers.

 

[yotano211]

Good. I hope the lose it all. Cryptocurrency is trash.

another poor mad angry gamer

 

[R-T-B]

another poor mad angry gamer

This doesn't help either man. We need to build bridges with the angry gamers and make them realize that the miner isn't the source of the issue, free market economics is more to blame than anything if you want to get angry (not that I want the alternative, lol).

I am getting sick of the "mining degenerate" type comments on these forums though. Even not being a miner myself anymore, I see it as very poor behavior that would not be tolerated towards any other group here, and feel the mods are really lending a deaf ear to this. People need to realize we have a significant mining presence here on these forums and calling such people things is not going to get you very far.

 

[TheMailMan78]

This doesn't help either man. We need to build bridges with the angry gamers and make them realize that the miner isn't the source of the issue, free market economics is more to blame than anything if you want to get angry (not that I want the alternative, lol).

I am getting sick of the "mining degenerate" type comments on these forums though. Even not being a miner myself anymore, I see it as very poor behavior that would not be tolerated towards any other group. People need to realize we have a significant mining presence here on these forums and calling such people things is not going to get you very far.

I'm not mad about the gaming. Could care less. Going full console soon. I just cannot process how people run algorithms on their rigs without knowing the cause/purpose of them AND they do it for a faux currency. It blows my mind people in this community are so short sighted.

 

[R-T-B]

I'm not mad about the gaming. Could care less. Going full console soon. I just cannot process how people run algorithms on their rigs without knowing the cause/purpose of them AND they do it for a faux currency. It blows my mind people in this community are so short sighted.

For money? The algorithms ARE known by the way. The rules are well known. Heck the source code is auditable. The purpose is also well known. It's all to run a global payment network.

As for "faux currency" it's about as faux currency as any currency these days not backed by something more than faith. At this point in time, bitcoin is effectively "backed" by investor money in other currencies.

 

[TheMailMan78]

For money? The algorithms ARE known by the way. The rules are well known. Heck the source code is auditable. The purpose is also well known. It's all to run a global payment network.

As for "faux currency" it's about as faux currency as any currency these days not backed by something more than faith. At this point in time, bitcoin is effectively "backed" by investor money in other currencies.

Source code is auditable yes but, the propose of the algorithms is not known. Never has been. They don't even know 100% who came up with them. If they knew that, there would be nothing to mine as encryption would be broken. Also bitcoin backed by other government insured asset currencies. Lets be clear. The Dollar, Pound and Euro are "faux" currency true but, they are insured by millions of assets. Bitcoin could end tomorrow with a single law.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

While everyone else it talking about crypto-please hack my-currency.....Meantime,

The other subject in this article is about passwords. Anyone foolish enough to save a text file named passwordlist.txt (or anything similar) is just asking to get hurt. A decent Password Manager that allows you to name your own keyfile to unlock your password manager will work well as long as you dont name it MyPasswordKeyfile.

 

[TheMailMan78]

While everyone else it talking about crypto-please hack my-currency.....Meantime,

The other subject in this article is about passwords. Anyone foolish enough to save a text file named passwordlist.txt (or anything similar) is just asking to get hurt. A decent Password Manager that allows you to name your own keyfile to unlock your password manager will work well as long as you dont name it MyPasswordKeyfile.

OR notebook paper.

 

[R-T-B]

Source code is auditable yes but, the propose of the algorithms is not known. Never has been.

Completely false. The purpose of sha256 in bitcoin is well established. Its simply a hash comparitive as part of the proof of work. (In short, the idea is to get a really really small hash and know exactly how many attempts it took to get there. This solves the block, and is easily validatable). The idea that it's being used for anything else or some secret project is mathamatically and factually silly.

Bitcoin won't end tomorrow in a "single law" because as cdawall has pointed out, the government and its members are players at this point.