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Linux Malware Infects Raspberry Pi Devices And Makes Them Mine Cryptocurrency (hothardware.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the easy-as-Pi dept.

An anonymous reader quotes Hot Hardware: If you're a Raspberry Pi user who's never changed the default password of the "pi" user, then heed this warning: change it. A brand new piece of malware has hit the web, called "Linux.MulDrop.14", and it preys on those who haven't secured their devices properly... After scanning for RPis with an open (and default) SSH port, the "pi" user is logged into (if the password is left default), and the password is subsequently changed. After that, the malware installs ZMap and sshpass software, and then it configures itself. The ultimate goal of Linux.MulDrop.14 is to make digital money for someone else, namely the author of the malware, using your Raspberry Pi.

2 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. Get Rich Slowly... by Powercntrl · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm not too familiar with the Raspberry Pi, but a cursory view of the specs tells me even a huge botnet of 'em still wouldn't make you wealthy through mining crypto any sooner than the heat death of the universe. Most crypto mining these days is done on specialized hardware or large banks of high-end video cards. Seems to be the reason why most malicious software intent on acquiring wealth through Bitcoins simply encrypts your files for ransom.

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    DRM is like antifreeze, to the MPAA/RIAA it's sweet, to the consumers it's poison.
    1. Re:Get Rich Slowly... by religionofpeas · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Depends on what cryptocurrency they are mining, how suitable the Pi is for that, and what the value of that currency is.

      Take bitcoin for example. One PI can do about 0.2 Mhash/second. A botnet consisting of 1 million devices can mine about $6.50 in a month. And you don't even get to keep all that, because a million devices mining will produce a great deal of very small transactions, which take up a lot of space in the blockchain, and you'll have to pay quite a large transaction fee. You'd be lucky to keep half of that money.

      Instead of the developing the malware, you could make more money as a Walmart greeter.