Bitcoin users are often the target of scams and hacking attempts. As it turns out, there are a few new scam links going around which, when visited, will download malware onto a user’s computer. Several users have reported their cryptocurrency wallets being emptied in the process. Common sense is a powerful tool to avoid these pitfalls; that much is certain.
Another Round of Cryptocurrency Malware Scamming
Although attack details are rather difficult to come by right now, it appears there is another scam link making the rounds in cryptocurrency circles. As it turns out, a hacker can easily steal one’s Reddit account credentials. That is not entirely surprising, as any platform relying on usernames and passwords is conducting horrible security practices.
The Reddit user who got hacked noticed how his profile was used to post on various cryptocurrency subreddits. All posts included a link to a malicious website, which seems to be infecting visitors with malware. By disguising links as a so-called price update, it is possible many people clicked the URL without even knowing what went on in the background.
While losing a Reddit account is a trivial matter – recovering it is relatively easy – the bigger damage was done to people visiting this URL. The Reddit user mentioned how his Bittrex e-wallet was hacked, and funds from several balances have been drained. No specifics were provided as to which currencies were transferred, or how much money was involved.
It is possible that people who clicked on the malicious link may have been infected with this unnamed malware. The article in question mentioned how the ‘BItcoin price would return to US$650”, and redirected to a website called CryptoChartiq. Keeping in mind how lots of people are interested in seeing the Bitcoin price evolve, those kinds of posts will attract a lot of site traffic.
This once again goes to show cryptocurrency enthusiasts should never click on random links they may see appear. Reddit is a place where content is aggregated by unknown third-party users, whose intentions may or may not be honorable. It is difficult to distinguish between safe and unsafe links, though.
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