
According to research published by the security company Avast, cybercriminals seek to “mining malware” when seeking to obtain cryptocurrency.
Avast said on Thursday that the malware named “Crackonosh” is hidden in free versions of games, such as NBA 2K19, Grand Theft Auto V, Far Cry 5, The Sims 4 and Jurassic World Evolution. These games can be found on torrent sites. Download on.
Once installed, Crackonosh will silently use your computer’s processing power to mine cryptocurrencies for hackers. According to Avast, since at least June 2018, the malware has been used to generate $ 2 million worth of Moreno cryptocurrency.
According to Daniel Benes, approximately 220,000 users worldwide are infected, and 800 devices are infected every day. However, Avast only detects malware on devices with antivirus software installed, so the actual number may be much higher. Brazil, India, and the Philippines are among the most affected countries, and the United States has also seen many cases.