The threat actors are again in charge as they are operating a scam through the messaging app Telegram. The security experts in new research discovered that hackers are distributing cryptocurrency-stealing malware via Telegram Channel in the form of a free malicious app.
The security company Avast in their latest research found that cyber-criminals are using the famous encrypted messaging platform to spread HackBoss malware. They are also stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars of cryptocurrency from the targeted victims. The hackers have stolen more than $500,000 from this trick.
The malware impersonates itself as the software used for brute-forcing passwords for banking and social media accounts. When the hacker runs the programs so, the crypto-stealing malware is installed on their device. The malware is packed in a .Zip file with a viable that launches a simple user interface.
However, the user interface aims to add the decrypt and execute the cryptocurrency-stealing malware on the targeted victim’s system.
Till now, the security experts have found more than 100 cryptocurrency wallet addresses that belong to the HackBoss authors. The HackBoss malware places these wallets in the place of victims’ crypto wallets. The hackers have made $560,000 from the victims since this scam started back in 2018.
The Hackboss authors are also promoting their fake hacking tools but it is not done through Telegram. Despite all this, Telegram is the main distribution path for spreading malware and stealing cryptocurrencies.
Telegram after What’s App announced to update its privacy policy became quite popular among the users. The users to enjoy a more secure messaging experience start shifting to use Telegram. But as of now, the app is involved in distributing the cryptocurrency-stealing malware, so it’d affect its reputation. The users might fear that it’s not a secure platform.
The developers behind the app need to work on solutions that enhance users’ security and privacy.
