'Loapi' Cryptocurrency Mining Malware Is Causing Phone Batteries To Bulge (newsweek.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Newsweek: Security researchers have discovered a new form of powerful malware that secretly mines cryptocurrency on a person's smartphone, which can physically damage the device if it is not detected. Researchers from the Russia-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky investigated the malware, dubbed Loapi, which they found hiding in applications in the Android mobile operating system. The malware works by hijacking a smartphone's processor and using the computing power to mine cryptocurrency -- the process of confirming cryptocurrency transactions by completing complex algorithms that generate new units of the currency. Loapi physically broke a test phone used to study the malware, after two days of the device being infected with it. "Because of the constant load caused by the mining module and generated traffic, the battery bulged and deformed the phone cover," the Kaspersky blog states.

Comments

Phone problem, not really malware's fault

[dunkindave]

In all fairness, if using the phone extensively can cause the battery to bulge, then that is a problem with the phone's or battery's design. The fact it is made more likely to occur by the malware doesn't change that the phone's design is flawed.

Re:Phone problem, not really malware's fault

[Hal_Porter]

Batteries swell when they worn out. And they wear out faster at higher temperature.

https://www.newscientist.com/a...

Something like cryptocurrency mining will max out the CPU, which will draw more power which increase temperature.

Lithium ion batteries are basically consumables and need to be user replaceable. Sadly most electronics seems to be moving in the direction of non user replaceable batteries which makes it consumable too.

If it's a $20 pair of Bluetooth headphones I suppose it doesn't matter. If it's a $600 phone, I think it very much does.