Crypto Mining Malware Runs on iPhone

As reported on cryptovest a new research from Check Point shows cyber-criminals are increasingly targeting iPhones in crypto-mining attacks.

While it never quite took off among consumers, Google Plus is now dead in the water as far as individual users are concerned. The social network is being wound down following the discovery of a bug that left data exposed to third-party developers.

Meanwhile, Microsoft made major waves in the development community as it announced it was to join the Open Invention Network. The company has notoriously kept its thousands of patents close to its chest, so the change of heart has pleased many.

Also in the US, new research from Columbia University shows just how consumer genomics databases could be used to identify almost anyone in the future.

Phones becoming popular crypto-mining targets

Check Point has released its Global Threat Index for September 2018, revealing an almost 400pc increase in crypto-mining malware attacks against Apple iPhones using the Coinhive mining malware.

Coinhive now impacts nearly a fifth of organizations worldwide. The malware retained the top spot, followed by a remote code execution worm dubbed ‘Dorkbot’ in second place and Coinhive competitor CryptoLoot.

Maya Horowitz, threat intelligence group manager at Check Point, commented: “What is most interesting is the fourfold increase in attacks against iPhones, and against devices using the Safari browser during the last two weeks of September.

“These attacks against Apple devices are not using the new functionality, so we are continuing to investigate the possible reasons behind this development.”