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Thursday, March 28, 2024

How the Rise of Cryptocurrencies Is Shaping the Cyber Crime Landscape: Blockchain Infrastructure Use

Cyber criminals have always been attracted to cryptocurrencies because it provides a certain level of anonymity and can be easily monetized. This interest has increased in recent years, stemming far beyond the desire to simply use cryptocurrencies as a payment method for illicit tools and services. Many actors have also attempted to capitalize on the growing popularity and subsequent rising price of cryptocurrencies by conducting various operations aimed at them, such as malicious cryptocurrency mining, collection of cryptocurrency wallet credentials, extortion activity, and the targeting of cryptocurrency exchanges.

Coinciding with the rising interest in stealing cryptocurrencies, distributed ledger technology (DLT), the technology that underpins cryptocurrencies, has also provided cyber criminals with a unique means of hosting their malicious content. This blog covers the growing trend of cyber criminals using blockchain domains for malicious infrastructure.

Traditionally, cyber criminals have used various methods to obfuscate malicious infrastructure that they use to host additional payloads, store stolen data, and/or function as command and control (C2) servers. Traditional methods include using bulletproof hosting, fast-flux, Tor infrastructure, and/or domain generation algorithms (DGAs) to help obfuscate the malicious infrastructure. While we expect cyber criminals to continue to use these techniques for the foreseeable future, another trend is emerging: the use of blockchain infrastructure.

Read more at FireEye

How the Rise of Cryptocurrencies Is Shaping the Cyber Crime Landscape: Blockchain Infrastructure Use Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Today
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.
Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Todayhttp://www.hstoday.us
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.

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