CoinHelper Malware Hijacks Your CPU
Malware that targets cryptocurrency users has certainly been on the rise in recent years, especially because of the booming cryptocurrency markets. Unfortunately, many users have still not taken enough measures to ensure their device's safety. The CoinHelper Malware, for example, is one of the latest threats of this type. Its discovery was recently reported by major antivirus product vendors and, unfortunately, it appears to be a very serious threat.
How is the CoinHelper Spread?
The criminals behind this campaign are relying on a multitude of tactics to propagate the payload. It appears to often reside in cracked applications and games, but it can also be found in game cheats, fake downloads, and other content. It is only compatible with the Windows operating system, and it appears to be most active in Russia – over 38% of infected devices are in this region. The second most affected country is Ukraine, with 19% of victims being there.
Why Is CoinHelper Malicious?
Some cryptocurrency malware focuses on hijacking transactions or compromising accounts on exchanges. The CoinHelper Malware is not like this. Instead, it plants a cryptocurrency miner on the user's device. This miner utilizes the CPU resources to mine for Monero, a privacy-oriented cryptocurrency. This activity results in high CPU usage and, therefore, higher CPU operating temperature. In the short-term, the CoinHelper Malware could impact on your computer's performance negatively. In the long run, it could result in hardware damage, overheating, and other issues.
The criminals behind this campaign do not care if they infect systems with older hardware. They focus on quantity over quality – thanks to the tens of thousands of infected devices, they have mined over 1,200 XMR. This could be converted to approximately $290,000 at the currency price of Monero. The CoinHelper Malware campaign is ongoing, and it is likely to become more and more widespread in the future. Take the required measures to keep your system safe by using an up-to-date security tool at all times. Of course, also make sure to avoid dangerous files – stay away from pirated games and software, and also avoid downloads from non-trustworthy sites.
