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A company called Trend Micro found a new kind of harmful software called Phemedrone Stealer. This software takes advantage of a problem in Microsoft Windows that has already been fixed. It specifically targets internet browsers and steals information from digital wallets used for cryptocurrencies. The report from the Texas-based company says that Phemedrone Stealer doesn't just take crypto-related info; it also gets data from messaging apps like Telegram, Steam, and Discord.

People who know about online security have seen that Phemedrone Stealer does more than just steal information like usual harmful software does. According to Crypto News, besides taking sensitive info, this software also takes pictures of what's on the screen and gathers a lot of details about the computer system, like what hardware it has, where it's located, and what operating system it uses. This way of doing things shows how advanced and complicated modern online threats are because the people behind them keep changing their methods.


Read more...
https://www.cryptocrit.xyz/2024/01/how-crypto-scammers-creating-traps-to.html (https://www.cryptocrit.xyz/2024/01/how-crypto-scammers-creating-traps-to.html)

Windows is the worst operating system to use for crypto. It's easy to get keyloggers and clipboard hackers on windows. Almost all of pirated windows OS or windows software like MS office and Games are filled with attempts to steal your crypto. Android might be much better to use and easier and most sites are now mobile first but there too are several apps that copies the clipboard. But if you don't install apps that you are not sure, it won't automatically install things just by browsing.
The best way to handle crypto is to have a different device preferably linux distro that just have the official preferably firefox with a good adblocker preferably ublock origin and using it only for crypto related tasks. Still copying pasting your private keys should be avoided.

This is extremely alarming the fact that scammers or hackers can now get into legitimate applications and softwares is very bothering we do not know where or what to use anymore in order to avoid these kinds of incidents it is hugely important that we now become extra careful as if we were not careful enough back then because we never know how a hack could be presenting itself

Link to the original trend micro article:

https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/24/a/cve-2023-36025-exploited-for-defense-evasion-in-phemedrone-steal.html

Not that big a deal if you are using any kind of AV software.

And it's exploiting a vulnerability that has been patched for over 60 days at this point.
If you have not updated your system in 2 months, and are not using AV software, well that's on you.

-Dave

Trend Micro is a known security company and I have known for quite a while so, IMO they are reliable with these findings.But in case you have missed it, there is already a thread posted earlier than yours about this topic in the Beginners and Help.
 
Phemedrone Stealer targeting crypto wallets, do not click URL shorteners (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5482042.0)

Terrible, I myself use trial-based windows, throughout the history of this annoying softwhare and I may have just found out from you, whether crypto is actually contrary to computing, someone's dream that with simple softwhare but can safely surf, since my activities are quite frequent for airdrop tasks (crypto) especially altcoins.

As much as possible I separate and do not store my assets on a computer with vulnerabilities that have occurred like this, I only store social media data and bitcointalk forums, it's terrible if personal information can be copied and really invisible. Like I have to replace original windows at an official price because it concerns the continuity of the pc that I use every day. At least I have separated it. I think some people might be caught off guard, what are your solutions?

News of scams and hacks are a common news now in the crypto space, no week goes by that we don't hear of a major scam and hacks, this trend is very worrisome especially now that they're breaking into legitimate corporate entities that are crypto holdings, exchanges and wallets, also invading into our personal systems, we just have to be more security conscious, be more informed and guide ourselves against their evil schemes. The internet is no longer safe because of this fraudsters, so everybody must take note and guard against scams.

If I say about the hacker what he suggests uses have the different method uses like programs that you download hacker   data recovers or they create website give you  same  to same original that makes you apply it hacks your account and does something like that. They set the bot in your account.
when you also send fund on the account, it shifts directly to another account  so it's very risky to you as well. For this you need to be there all the time to be safe and check everything and then connect to your wallet.

More reason to use a Linux based OS especially if you are involved with crypto. Most of the malware creators target largely used operating systems like Windows and android because that's where most of the money and data is. Linux is mostly ignored because of a relatively small user base. With that being said, an air gapped device would be the most ideal option.

Using an Anti virus gives a false sense of security, though. One has to be very smart and a void downloading and executing random files in a device they use for wallets and transactions.

Man, your site has a lot of annoying ads, so I decided to do google search of my own about this Phemedrone Stealer. This malware is using Windows Defender flaw so anyone who are not using Windows OS is supposed to be safe. And also this is an opensource and even has it's Github page, https://github.com/nullixx/Phemedrone-Stealer. This will make easier for Windows Defender developer to quickly fix the flaw or to update their security.

Time to shift with the other OS that usually aren't ignored by these hackers and stealers due to the poor number of user or they just can't really penetrate to their systems. I am not expert on this matter but we've got ways to improve our security and there is no doubt that Windows is the most desired OS of these hackers because of having a lot of users worldwide.

Using linux distro OSs' will make someone safe from all of these attacks and mac can also be a good contender on this but it is not for free unlike the Linux's. So if someone is wanting to change their ways of usage for their computers and considering it, test them first or use virtualbox to have that idea on its environment. Because if you're a Windows user and you'll transfer into the usage of Linux asap, you'll have hard time to adapt but that's just the beginning of it and soon you'll get to be familiarized with it because you'll be forced to.

Scammers and hackers are getting innovative everyday, the list we can do to keep our assets safe is by learning and studying to find new hacks or scam that could be used by any of them. When you keep yourself updated, you stand a chance to knowing their move before they use it on you. I have encountered several scam and my escape route has been the knowledge I have acquired about scam. Op that for the information, this is why an air gapped device  is the best to use for the safety of our assets.

Firstly, we should protect our assets with the require funds accumulated, not given deaf ears to scamming project. Scams can not be eradicated from the market permanently but it can be reduced to its lowest ratio and this can happen only when the users are swiftly enlighten regarding the basis of the market. The market is broad and not everyone have an idea of the complex scams going on. Scammers and hackers have drawn the lineup and strategies posed for their operation, they targets the top users that have gigantic portfolio and not some random users, newbies precisely.

   Nowadays scammers use Bitcoin or cryptpcurrency in their scams in the crypto community. Why is it a big problem for those who participate that they don't know that they have fallen into the trap of scammers. Usually what they do is because they are good at hyping their prospects that they will prey on.

   So intelligence and sensitivity are needed so that we don't fall prey to exploitative people who always use cryptpcurrency just to prey here in this field of crypto space.

This is a very serious matter in the internet. So what are the modalities for this casino now because if someone just mistakenly install that software in his computer from the ads display when browsing then you information in the computer would be stolen by those guys. The more the technology is getting to the highest advance level the more the scammers also advancing.

Their target now is cryptocurrencies and specifically bitcoin. In these days if you see the kind of advertisement on social media platforms, you wouldn't believe. These scammers make things reality. But they can't scam someone like me.

That is one major reason why I don't believe most of the things I see in social Media. Nowadays the scam rate of ads have increased to an unimaginable height and you don't even know if they are now telling the truth or it's an scam. Indeed I have known you to be a reputable member here in this forum and I don't think you can easily fall for cheap scams like that. But we still have to be fully cautious of scam especially when dealing with things related to cryptocurrency.  There are several way they could present a scam and it will look absolutely legit, our only way out to is to gather information about scams and hacks.

Having good knowledge and technology development are great but somehow, it was also a threat to our security and privacy. Online wallets become vulnerable to hacking, every single mistake we make can lead to emptying our wallet address. That is how development and advanced technology come the wrong way. I'd rather get back to those times when people were not knowledgeable about programs as they couldn't think about hacking and stealing people but now, it was a weapon used and seemed easy for them to fulfill what they wanted.

It is very worrying that with a situation like this, hackers are becoming more innovative and the asset owner is less updated in the security offered or lacks new insight into crypto so we can conclude that where there is an opportunity there is a crime that will occur,
Here, we as asset owners are required to always be updated on all matters relating to asset security,

Well even before you published this information I have read about it from the link provided by DaveF.
it's a bit troubling how hackers gets into the activities of most crypto users through vulnerable security systems that we use. even our windows defenders and malware dictators can't help it any more.

We all have to just stay safe and be conscious of whatever we do on the internet. it paramount to know and do your own research and not to click on any link that we see because most times they impersonate our reliable sources to get into our devices.

No system is completely secured when it's connected to the internet, that has been proved multiple times by ethical hackers and we all know even the US top security agencies' websites have been hacked so the scammers always find a way to break in and it is our responsibility to keep the assets secure which means in cold storage.

the link that OP gave is very suspicious itself in that it looks like it has Phemedrone Stealer lol there is so many popups on that website i couldn't read a single sentence in the article without trying to close a popup.

if the stealer is quite that effective in taking screenshots what is on the monitor, it wouldn't be long before the stealer can capture sensitive information containing passwords. the hackers doesn't even need to hack something, they just login.

Perhaps Phemedrone is the latest malicious program developed on GitHub by some hackers, and I heard about it a few days ago, as what I knew is that it steals data and details from the person's device, as well as their most-used applications, wallets, and browsers, in addition to screenshots that make the victim completely stripped of his privacy and threatened to lose his stored crypto assets, but this malware is like the rest of the other malwares, and in fact, the Windows system is an unprotected system that is full of vulnerabilities, making it easy to be hacked if the person neglects to intensify protection and security on his device and this can happen if they download malicious programs or files, or open links from unknown sources, especially through strangers on Discord, Telegram, etc.

One must be careful because hackers renew their methods every day and develop malicious programs to inflict theft and harm to crypto investors.

but I think for some people who are used to using computers/laptops it will be difficult to implement that, I think the choice is to increase the security on your device, then avoid installing applications, or visiting suspicious sites, and other things that could trigger your account/device to be hacked.

The emergence of Phemedrone Stealer underscores the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, especially those targeting the cryptocurrency space. Its ability to exploit a previously patched vulnerability in Microsoft Windows emphasizes the importance of regular system updates for users. This incident highlights the dynamic nature of cybersecurity, with threat actors employing sophisticated tactics to bypass security measures.
The multifaceted nature of Phemedrone Stealer sets it apart from traditional malware, showcasing a new level of complexity in cyber threats. Beyond pilfering cryptocurrency-related data, its capacity to capture screen images and gather comprehensive details about the targeted system represents a concerning advancement in cyber espionage. This level of intrusion poses significant risks to user privacy and data security.
The report from Trend Micro serves as a reminder for users to stay vigilant, employ robust cybersecurity practices, and remain informed about emerging threats. As cyber threats continue to evolve, a proactive and informed approach to online security becomes paramount in safeguarding personal and financial information. Regularly updating security software, employing strong authentication measures, and exercising caution online are essential components of a resilient defense against such sophisticated threats. These are my humble opinion.

Yes, not only that, even on real social media there are so many blatant frauds nowadays.
for example when altlayer shares their airdrop and announces it via their twitter, there are fake twitter accounts in their name and trying to trick people.

I think if we are careful then it will be fine, but it is better to store your assets in a wallet that has minimal transactions, such as a special wallet for storing assets that you get from the airdrop, and put it on your cellphone or you buy a cold wallet if you feel like You already have a lot of money in your hands, because as they say, cellphones are better than PCs.

That's why most Bitcoin holders don't want to use the Windows operating system because it has lots of threats and sometimes it is hidden in our eyes except if we know how to completely protect ourselves from their malicious threat that has been improving to steal our info. Surely most of those scammers and hackers are here, monitoring and looking for our emails to send us their bait and once we took it, we will be under their control. What we really need to do is to keep updating ourselves as well for prevention from their threat and if we armor ourselves with enough knowledge, we won't be affected by any of their evil plan but once people become heedless, then they will fall to their traps.

Besides all that, there are many ways hackers use to trap people which include Phishing links and dust attacks where hackers send a small amount into the user's wallet, and when users click the transaction details their wallets get compromised by the hackers. They are very tricky because they know how to trap the user by playing with their sentiments.

So always avoid clicking on any links and use the 2FA in your wallets which can be helpful for you to stay safe from scammers/hackers.

I agree with the statements that windows is full of unprotected places, even taking into account the fact that updates are constantly coming out with patches for these problems, but realizing that most users use this particular system, fraudulent hackers are increasingly tempted to work in this direction. You should try to bypass all unverified network resources.

is Microsoft Depender good enough for that? all windows have it by default and it works pretty good in term of scanning and clearning the system.
I don't want to download any third party AV software becasue most of the time they make the sytem worse. Softwares stop working and they declare almost every softwares as unsafe. lol
but this new threat is really scary. i feel there i no way to be safe while using windows maybe it is time to shift from windows to another operating system.

Up to these times, scammers are still rampant. Just here in our country, just 3 weeks ago, there was news were that scammers have attacked twice using crypto to take advantage of people who don't know.

Even with the hackers, it is still going on until now; it's just very difficult to know their actions. We really need to be smarter than these scammers and hackers.

It was actually easy for them if they are already "used to" on using the devices that you mentioned there. And even if they aren't, there are still lots of guides now about it that we can find on the internet. One platform that is notable to mention is Youtube where we can watch fixes and tutorials to almost any things. I'm not new in using a laptop and PC but I'm already contented on the current OS that I'm using which is Windows.

And until now, I haven't experienced any issues with it in regards to my cryptos. With this, I can say that the problem is not about the OS that we are using, but it's about how we use the internet and interact on the websites and apps that we are visiting/using.

There will be more cryptocurrency scam similar to this one that would be discovered with time but all we need to be repared for us to keep making sure that we don't fall victim to this kind of scammers. Scammers are always looking for opportunities for them to steal from us. We need to keep trying and utilizing different safety tools ensuring that we don't fall for such shitty crap.
Our reason of going into cryptocurrency is to make money not to lose blindly.

For this case, I think you have to leave Windows, because Windows has so many vulnerabilities.  Too many malware are targeted to attack windows.  Try to using linux like Ubuntu or Fedora.  There you will be safer from malware. 

Another option if you continue to use Windows, you have always updating the operating system and anti-virus, avoiding using unnecessary applications. With this you can safe from walware. But this is not always effective protect you from threat. 

Maybe you have to use two separate computers, where one computer is for your daily use for browsing or what do you wont, the other is specifically for your crypto activities. This will have a great opportunity to secure our crypto assets.

That's the problem, I must say that this attacks comes from the creators of this softwares, though hackers can never be underestimated, I think every system should have a backup in other to get rid of this shits in the system, this one of the reasons why it very difficult to convince some person to invest in crypto, Bitcoin has been seen by its enthusiast that it is the best coin money can buy but there are people doubting this statement because of the happenings in crypto world.
No matter what you use now it no more safe because hackers and scammers are coming up with different means to rip people of their funds, I think something has to done to this effect to avoid further occurrence.

Then you can consider the simplest and most logical method aimed at protecting your crypto and the system as a whole. You start using at least 2 isolated PCs with different OSes and different crypto wallets, different ISPs - one system for work, which will be most susceptible to the negative influence of scammers, and one for storing funds. This is a little expensive, but at the same time it greatly increases the security of your crypto.

Scammers are getting innovative day be day and this is not the first innovative scamming methods they are using. Recently one of the most popular scamming methods they are using is to trap user is in twitter. They are using fake twitter account and post tweet right after the first tweet. Both of the twitter account looks similar so unaware people click the link and lose all of their funds.

Scammers are way smarter than we think and the availability of social media has made their works to be carried out with ease making them to have access to do ugly things in a similar way that better things are done, scammers go as far as hacking the accounts of some celebrities and online influencers to post fake links that they use to scam their victims, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are the most places where scammers easily scam people to avoid getting scammed people needs to avoid clicking links don't know about.