Different kinds of malware are targetting cryptocurrency owners and trying to steal their valuable digital coins by employing different techniques. This new and lucrative affair is attracting experienced and novice malware creators alike. Just recently, Japanese police arrested a 17-year-old teenager boy for creating malware that targetted cryptocurrency wallets.
As per a report by Mainichi Shimbum, via Bleeping Computer, the malware stole the private keys used to access the wallets. It’s also being investigated if the boy used the passwords to steal cryptocurrency from the victims.
In recent times, we have witnessed a great demand for the apps and websites to access cryptocurrency-related data in real time. To spread the malware and exploiting the same demand, the boy hid it in an application that showed the cryptocurrency data.
One of the places where the malicious app got shared was a Monacoin forum. For those who don’t know, Monacoin is a relatively unpopular cryptocurrency that has been advertised as the first Japanese digital crypto-coin.
The arrested boy has denied some allegations and stated that he didn’t do the same with malicious intent. The police are currently investigating the matter.
While the exact scale of infection remains unknown, at least one person has been found to download the app. He later discovered that about 170 Monacoins, worth $500, went missing from the wallet.