A recent report has warned of a new phishing scam targeting unsuspecting crypto users. The program includes fake Zoom meeting links to trick investors into downloading malicious software to steal their assets.
Fake Zoom Link Steals Confidential Data
On Friday, Blockchain security firm SlowMist warned investors that hackers were targeting crypto users with a sophisticated phishing scam to access their sensitive data. The investigation revealed that malicious actors used “social engineering and trojan techniques” to steal victim’s private keys, wallet data, and other sensitive information.
According to the report, several X users posted online about phishing attacks disguised as Zoom meeting links, with some victims installing malicious software and losing assets worth millions of dollars.
One victim recounts being tricked into clicking on a fake Zoom meeting link and being tricked into downloading and installing malware on their computer. This resulted in the theft of 1 million USD0++ from the victim’s crypto wallet.
Victim explains Zoom phishing scam. Source: SlowMist
SlowMist explains that the hackers are using a fake domain similar to the original Zoom meeting link. Additionally, the website closely mimics the Zoom meeting interface, tricking users into clicking the “Launch Meeting” button.
However, this action does not open the Zoom app. Instead, it downloads malicious software, leading users to “reinstall” the platform. After installation, users are tricked into running a malicious script and entering their system password.
A blockchain security company discovered that this script collects information from a user’s device and sends it to a hacker:
After the malicious code collects system information, browser data, cryptocurrency wallet data, Telegram data, notes data, and Cookie data, it compresses the collected information and sends it to a server controlled by the hacker.
Additionally, the software uses other scripts that collect KeyChain data from the computer to try to delete it. This allowed the hacker to access the wallet’s mnemonic phrases and private keys, facilitating the theft of crypto assets.
SlowMist also tracked related wallets, finding that more than $1 million of crypto, including USD0++, MORPHO, and ETH, resided in addresses linked to the hacker. According to the report, MORPHO and the newly stolen USD0++ tokens were exchanged for 296 Ethereum (ETH) on December 23.
These funds were transferred to various crypto platforms, including Binance, Bybit, and Gate.io, to try to hide the ill-gotten gains. The security company advised users to verify links carefully before clicking and avoid using unknown software and commands to protect their sensitive data and finances.
Crypto Hacks On The Rise In 2024
According to the latest report by Chainalysis, crypto hacks persisted in 2024, increasing by 21.07% from last year. The industry saw more than $2.2 billion lost to criminals, marking the third-highest year in terms of total value stolen.
Additionally, it was the year with the most hacks, registering 303 incidents during the reporting period. Compromise of private keys was the largest type of compromise, accounting for 43.8% of incidents, while centralized exchanges (CEXs) were the most targeted platforms in Q2 and Q3.
This year has also seen some of the biggest hacks in the industry’s history, with the DMM Bitcoin and WazirX exploits taking in around $540 million between May and July. Meanwhile, North Korean hackers were responsible for 60% of the total amount stolen, with $1.34 billion linked to their attacks.
Finally, it noted the industry’s need to deal with an “increasingly complex and emerging threat environment,” suggesting “a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors” to effectively combat these challenges in the future.
Total crypto market capitalization is at $3.28 trillion in the one-week chart. Source: TOTAL on TradingView
Featured image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com
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