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Fake Mt. Gox Pages Aim To Infect Bitcoin Users
An anonymous reader writes "Mt. Gox is the the largest Bitcoin exchange in the world, and as such it and its users are being repeatedly targeted by attackers. Some two months ago, it battled a massive DDoS attack that was likely aimed at destabilizing the virtual currency and allow the criminals to profit from the swings. Now, according to Symantec researchers, the criminals have turned to spoofing Mt. Gox' site and tricking its customers into downloading malware — the Ponik downloader Trojan, which is also able to steal passwords."
We've already had Apple vs. Samsung this week, plus the oblig swipe at Windows, so tomorrow, it must be another Rasperry Pi story, eh?
Gox gives a free yubi to anyone with more then loose change in there. Last time I looked, malware don't work on 2factor...
Actually, given the outrightly criminal nature of that banking system, this is not an unreasonable suggestion. We already know that the likes of HFT companies regulalry engage in DDoS attacks against exchanges, so the skillset for this kind of work is there.
May the Maths Be with you!
I know it's tin-foil hat thinking... but my first thought was, "Are we sure it was 'aimed at destabilizing the virtual currency and allow the criminals to profit from the swings' or was it someone else trying to destabilize the currency to make people lose any faith they might have had."
Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
Unfortunately, almost all bitcoin users are a lot smarter than that. If their browser's security features, their antivirus, and their common sense don't all tip them off that it's not the real MTGox, they probably shouldn't be bitcoin users.
Interesting that the top two 'Related links' for this story are both stories about printable guns, at least in the pageview I'm getting right now, the third is about DNA collection after arrest, the fourth about how all your data are belong US and the fifth about PETA eants to sue people. Perhaps /. doesn't have any other stories about bitcoin, phishing, DDOS, Symantec, trojans or other malware.
Korma: Good
The fake Mt Gox sites are found on domains such as mtgox.org, mtgox.net. Existing customers and Bitcoin early adopters will likely not fall for this. This is likely targeting the non-tech-savvy followers who just heard through the media about a currency that can make you rich or a cool way to buy drugs. A search or two will unlikely lead a potential victim to one of these fake sites, so they are depending on the advertising. Details are scarce on how they are advertising.
[Rent This Space]
I'd be reasonably certain that the criminal answer is the right one.
Here's the "allow bad guys to profit from the swings" plan:
1. DDOS Bitcoin trading sites, and watch the Bitcoin prices drop.
2. Buy some Bitcoins.
3. Stop your DDOS.
4. Bitcoin price goes back up.
5. Sell your Bitcoins at the now higher price.
6. PROFIT!!!
Here's the "Destabilize the currency" plan:
1. DDOS Bitcoin trading sites.
2. Convince everyone who might be considering using Bitcoins to use dollars or Euro or yen or krona or yuan or something.
3. ???
4. PROFIT!!!
One of these has simple and obvious steps from DDOS to profits. The other does not.
I am officially gone from
Right because instead of spending their time manipulating the USD, Yen, Euro, etc. to make 100s of millions if not billions of dollars or more the "banking system" is creating malware and DDoSing an exchange for a currency used by a less than a thousandth of 1% of the world. Yeah, real believable.
This kind of garbage is why money works best when regulated and maintained by a government.
Yes, because under grown-up sensible government controlled money, no phishers ever make fake bank websites.
SJW n. One who posts facts.
Q: Why do you rob banks?
A: Because that's where the money is stored.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
Not 'Mount Gox'. Theres no such place.
Its Magic the Gathering Online exchange not Mt. Gox.
But even they refer to it as Mount Gox. Why? Are they trying to distance themselves from the card game?
In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
Even though we are supposed to be one of the largest groups of nerds, sure, let's pile stupid FUD.
Someone can be really smart and still hold some really dumb beliefs.
Right because instead of spending their time manipulating the USD, Yen, Euro, etc. to make 100s of millions if not billions of dollars or more [BitCoin users use BitCoins, which are] used by a less than a thousandth of 1% of the world. Yeah, real [smart].
The start up costs and complication of manipulating real-world markets (as opposed to fake stuff) are astronomically high. Some governments couldn't manage it if they tried.
On the other hand, one nerd who can dDOS and a couple small time hoods could pull off a BitCoin manipulation scam.
Your arrogance in thinking BitCoin is equivalent to a world market "USD, Yen, Euro, etc." is proof positive that these types of attacks will continue to happen. BitCoin is for stupid people, or smart people acting stupidly.
Conspiracy theorists, unite!
Symantec, in collaboration with the Guild of Calamatious Intent...
"Because bitcoin is such a threat..."
The "Liberty Dollar" wasn't a "threat" either, but they still shut it down, arrested the creator and likened his activity to "domestic terrorism". I kid you not. The Fed. prosecutor said that he was undermining the currency and equated it to "terrorism".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Dollar
The banker-government's greatest power of all is their money monopoly. They stomp on these things HARD as soon as they become "noticeable" and long before they're even a mild threat.
Me too. Destabilizing a completely open peer-to-peer decentralized monetary system that breaks the shackles of government control really doesn't seem like the bag of the hacker community at large. This feels more like a corporate or even government backed venture.
Riiiiight, because no one ever counterfeits hard currency, never used it to buy off politicians, never laundered, never dumped, never hoarded, never used it to bribe people, never used it to pay soldiers to murder people, etc.
Just in case you don't get it: A _digital_ NOR a _physical_ currency is NOT immune to the many (government & private) abuses. That is, there are MANY issues with money ... namely its design and mis-implementation.
* http://mises.org/books/whathasgovernmentdone.pdf
* http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul124.html
* http://www.gmlets.u-net.com/explore/problems.html
* http://www.amazon.com/Problem-Money-Its-Not-About/dp/0984502009
When are you going to stop being delusional that some magical pseudo-authority figure is the answer to everyone's perceived problems?
--
"Necessity is the Mother of Invention, byt Curiosity is the Father." -- Michaelangel007
When are you going to stop being delusional that an unregulated currency is viable?
I don't respond to AC's.
When are you going to stop being delusional that some magical pseudo-authority figure is the answer to everyone's perceived problems?
I don't have an opinion on the matter, but DogDude specifically said "best", not "only". So you're arguing against a claim he never made.
I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
Why would they do something like that over simply making the currency illegal and arresting anyone for violating laws over minting currency? The conspiracy version makes no logical sense.
Dunno what unregulated currency you're talking bout - Bitcoin is regulated algorithmically by the transaction and block validation rules, so that can't be it. Are you referring to centralized currencies, where "regulation" apparently means you can lose access to your money at any time.
As for Bitcoin being viable, Bitcoin economy is alive and growing, so claims of non-viability are extraordinary and require extraordinary evidence. Calling people "delusional" doesn't quite cut it.
Forget magic. Any technology distinguishable from divine power is insufficiently advanced.
Because they have no legal basis for making the currency illegal, no jurisdiction if they did, and no legal technical route that could be used to enforce such a law. That is all assuming government. A corporate player makes just as much sense.
An overt government/corporate attack on Bitcoin could spur public outcry and outrage. That would increase the popularity and the number of people who supported the system making it that much harder to shut down. It might push it to the point of being mainstream.
I dunno. If you use digits as currency you get built in fingerprints.