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[KSweeley]

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/18/technology/windows-adylkuzz-cryptocurrency/

May 18, 2017

Instead of a red ransom note -- the calling card of the massive WannaCry infection -- this newly-discovered malware isn't noticeable, beyond making a computer run more slowly than usual.

Called "Adylkuzz," the malware leverages the same hole in old Windows software used to spread WannaCry. But this attack operates in the background of computers, installing a "miner" to generate the cryptocurrency called Monero. Cryptocurrency is digital money, which is generated by computing power -- the more power you have, the more currency you're able to "mine."

And it makes one aspect of the hacking threat quite clear: Cyberattacks aren't always flashy ransomware that makes itself known.

The Adylkuzz malware was discovered by the security firm Proofpoint while it was investigating WannaCry, which infected 300,000 machines in 150 countries last weekend. WannaCry spread using a Windows exploit leaked in April (which Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) released a patch for in March) that believed to belong to the NSA.

"It's one of the more worrying [threats], because it can definitely go undetected for weeks if not months," Darien Huss, senior security research engineer for Proofpoint, told CNNTech.

The Adylkuzz malware started infecting computers around May 2, and was found on at least 150,000 machines. It went undetected until this week, Huss added.

 

[LumpOfCole]

I didn't even know people were still trying to come up with new cryptocurrencies. Is Dogecoin still pure?

 

[hydrophilic attack]

malwhere

 

[Maintenance]

I didn't even know people were still trying to come up with new cryptocurrencies. Is Dogecoin still pure?

I heard someone say that the dude ran with everybody's money.

 

[emag]

How dare Microsoft push updates onto MY computer!

(98% of computers infected by Wannacry were running Windows 7 with Windows update disabled.)

 

[Just_myles]

How dare Microsoft push updates onto MY computer!

(98% of computers infected by Wannacry were running Windows 7 with Windows update disabled.)

I don't blame people for not wanting to be forcibly updated to an operating system they did not ask for. Your response is invalid. I hope you are being facetious.

 

[Muffin1611]

malwhere

Should have been the first post. Perfect.

 

[jabuseika]

It's called Windows Update enabling Cortana, every, single, time.

 

[Ryzaki009]

How dare Microsoft push updates onto MY computer!

(98% of computers infected by Wannacry were running Windows 7 with Windows update disabled.)

Well if Microsoft's awful updates didn't almost break my Surface I wouldn't have an issue. I didn't have a single issue with my surface until an auto update then lock screens, inability to wake up from sleep and the fan running like a jetplane occurred afterwards. Yeah I disabled updates after that.

 

[Jezbollah]

People have loaded up crypto currency mining software into malware for a few years now, this really isnt new.

The silly thing is that they're really shutting the door after the horse has bolted - those who havent patched MS17-010 after WannaCry will have done so - especially with MS releasing fixes for XP and 2K3.

 

[D4Danger]

the malware leverages the same hole in old Windows software

at this point it's your own fault

 

[Little Green Yoda]

How dare Microsoft push updates onto MY computer!

(98% of computers infected by Wannacry were running Windows 7 with Windows update disabled.)

I thought Wannacry was affecting mainly XP users?

 

[Gentleman Jack]

I could swear this has been happening for a while. Did one of those p2p ip spoofing 'free' vpn companies do this to people who installed their software? Every time an exploit vector goes unpatched there will be very obviously multiple ne'er do wells trying to hijack your computer for profit, and a lot of malware is "invisible" in as much as it does not advertise its presence because alerting you would mean you take steps towards disinfecting your machine.

 

[Deleted member 13876]

I didn't even know people were still trying to come up with new cryptocurrencies. Is Dogecoin still pure?

Well

https://coinmarketcap.com/charts/

 

[yanipheonu]

Wait if it's invisible, how did they see it?
FAKE NEWS

Spoiler

/s

 

[emag]

I don't blame people for not wanting to be forcibly updated to an operating system they did not ask for. Your response is invalid. I hope you are being facetious.

I'm not referring to people refusing to update to Windows 10, but people refusing to allow Windows Update to patch critical security flaws. Of course, a lot of Windows 10 hate on GAF et al. is on the basis of Windows 10 not allowing users to disable security patching.

I thought Wannacry was affecting mainly XP users?

Nope.

 

[LumpOfCole]

Well

https://coinmarketcap.com/charts/

I just dug out my Doge wallet from 2013 and it turned out I had $195 in DogeCoins. I think I spent a third of that on those coins at the time and just forgot they existed until this thread.

I looked around and just spent some to get a $50 Steam Giftcard key. The site looked a little shady but it worked. I guess there really is something to these cryptocurrencies.