Director of Development at F-Secure, well-known security expert Mikko Hyppönen, explained why the growing popularity cryptocurrency direct impact on the protection of computer systems.
“It is quite a different thing: to protect the organization from cybercrime gang that attacks in order to make money, or targeted attacks to spy for the government – said Mikko Hypponen. – And all this is quite different from protecting your organization against anonymous users, or similar movements, which are not interested in money or espionage, and they want to protest in any way. “
Against every form of threats expected a different defense strategy, and various software tools.
Previously, botnets send out spam or participated in DDoS-attacks. So, because of the spread cryptocurrency like Bitcoin and Litecoin appeared type intruders with fundamentally new tasks: to establish the user’s computer program that does not show itself, does not interact with the user, not to steal confidential information, etc. just quietly to mine Bitcoins in the background.
“There are now quite clear, workable mechanisms of how to earn a significant amount of money on computers that do not have users – says Mikko Hypponen. – It’s happening right now. This unique process is nothing like we have seen in the history of malware. Infected computers against will become part of the host of useful peer to peer network. “Moreover, this network by mining Bitcoins will be gradually involved televisions and other consumer electronic devices that are equipped with the computing processors and are connected to the Internet.