Security company Kaspersky has reported that hackers are coercing influencers to insert malicious links in the descriptions of their YouTube videos. These links lead users to download malware designed to steal cryptocurrencies and control infected systems. The malware acts as a cryptocurrency mining trojan based on the open-source software XMRig. Kaspersky has identified over 2.4 million instances of this malware activity on Windows Packet Divert drivers in the past six months. Some hackers threaten YouTubers with channel closures to force them to repost malware links. Cybersecurity experts caution that these extortion tactics may extend to other messaging platforms like Telegram. This report comes shortly after Kaspersky revealed a different threat named SparkCat, which steals cryptocurrency wallet recovery phrases and sensitive user data through Google Play and App Store apps. It seems that cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated, and users, especially those involved in the cryptocurrency world, need to increase their vigilance to avoid falling victim to organized attacks.
