Researchers at cybersecurity firm AlienVault have discovered a computer virus of North Korean origin which infects and hijacks computers in order to mine Monero, a private digital currency which styles itself as “secure, private and untraceable.” Cryptocurrency mining is the resource-intensive process by which computers or “miners” running specific software verify cryptocurrency transactions. In exchange for their computing power, miners are given small amounts of cryptocurrency. In the case of North Korean’s Monero malware, the virus installs mining software on infected computers unbeknownst to their owners or users. The software then secretly mines Monero and sends mining rewards back to a server located at Kim II Sung University in Pyongyang. Researchers are unsure how many computers may be affected.
Continue Reading Another Hitch in the Crypto Boom? North Korean Malware Hijacks Computers to Mine Monero Cryptocurrency