A Taiwanese hardware company has warned its customers of a targeted cryptocurrency mining attack on their storage devices. This malware infects NAS devices connected to the Internet by installing a cryptocurrency miner called Dovecat.
Threats Install Illegal Bitcoin Mining Malware
According to advice revealed by Bleeping Computer, malware is mining bitcoin (BTC) on NAS devices without notifying operators of its exploitation. The company detailed the results:
โQNAP NAS can be infected when connected to the Internet with a weak user passwordโ.
Malware campaigns launched by unknown actors have emerged in the past three months. Some customers report that the bitcoin miner uses all of the device’s CPU and memory resources, making it almost unusable.
According to a knowledge base article, Qnap says that unless the Dovecot process encountered recent firmware (4.4.x), the system could have been compromised by an miner.
Software, installs company malware detection apps, and use stronger passwords. Some users have tested the solutions provided by Qnap, claiming to have successfully applied them.
Qnap is a well-recognised company in the file storage industry. Their devices appear to be built with technology capable of handling cryptocurrency mining operations, making them a target for hackers.
In fact, in September 2020, the Taiwanese company warned its customers about the Agelocker ransom ware campaign against their publicly exposed NAS devices.
Latest Crypto Attack Incident Figures
The latest statistics revealed by Symantec unveiled an increasing trend in crypto attack incidents. According to the study, Q2 2020 saw an upsurge in attacks, up 163% from the previous quarter’s activity.
The Cyber security Lab also confirms what most malware researchers conclude about crypto-attacks: bitcoin and monero (XMR) are the two most mined coins in the world.