Cryptojacking Up 629%, LINE Launches New Cryptocurrency Exchange, Polish Banks Unofficially Banning Crypto
Cryptojacking Up 629% in Q1 2018, McAfee Labs Report Says
Nearly 400,000 samples of coin miner malware were analyzed in Q4 2017, but that grew to 2.9 million in Q1 2018, says cyber security firm McAfee Labs in a new report. (The company is unaffiliated with John McAfee.) Instead of demanding cryptocurrency payment like ransomware, coin miner malware attempts to work quietly, using a computer’s processing power to mine cryptocurrency.
The same report discusses the return of the Lazarus crime ring. Recent HaoBao attacks target Bitcoin users and international companies in an attempt to steal Bitcoin. Lazarus was previously known for an early 2017 phishing email campaign targeting Korean and English speakers, where Lazarus attackers posed as recruiters.
Popular Japanese Messenger LINE is Launching Exchange with 20+ Cryptocurrencies
Line has announced a new cryptocurrency exchange, BITBOX, with support for 15 languages and 30+ cryptocurrencies, including the current Coinbase coins. The exchange will be open for customers in every country of the world except Japan — and the United States, for now.
About 45% of Line’s 200 million users are in Japan, but the app also has 90 million monthly active users in Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia. BITBOX will not include fiat options.
Following Poland’s Ban on ICOs, Polish Bitcoin Association Sues Banks over Unofficial Crypto Bans
According to a news report by Finance Magnates, although the legal system in Poland has no regulations prohibiting the exchange of cryptocurrencies, some Polish banks have been unilaterally closing or denying bank accounts associated with crypto.
A complaint has been filed by the Polish Bitcoin Association (PBS), naming “15 financial institutions” that have closed the accounts of 25 entities and refused to open accounts for 52 entities.
Poland’s ban on initial coin offerings (ICOs) continues, and the country is running a nationwide media campaign to warn people about the risks of crypto investing.
Have a major development in mind or an opinion on a story listed above? Please submit your comments below to get the conversation started.
Follow ICO Alert on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
Source: ICO Alert
