Bitcoin Forum

HELSINKI: The humble toaster could become a security threat in the future due to the virtual currency Bitcoin.
For the uninitiated, Bitcoins are a cryptography-based digital currency, which allows users to send and receive money with a degree of anonymity without using traditional commerce networks, in effect cutting out middlemen such as banks. Many governments are also wary of their use as Bitcoin value is determined separately from them. Their uptake has rocketed over the past few years.
While hanging out in Helsinki with F-Secure, the firm's chief research officer Mikko Hypponen, never one to mince his words, said that the increasing value of Bitcoins is enticing criminal gangs to rework traditional malware targeting businesses to turn infected machines into Bitcoin mines.
Bitcoin mining refers to the way Bitcoins are actually earned. In a normal situation, a user runs an algorithm  on their computer to authenticate transactions on the Bitcoin platform. This is legal and the person running the process is rewarded with Bitcoins for their trouble. However, turning hoards of machines into your own army to generate huge numbers of Bitcoins is not. As such the crooks love it, as Hypponen explained.
"Bitcoins have been skyrocketing in value. At the moment the value per Bitcoin is currently $134. As this started happening and people started realising there's actual money in Bitcoin, people started mining them pretty seriously," he said.
"A big deal about crypto currency [such as Bitcoin] is the mining part. You can actually use other computers to mine and because of this, botnet-based mining is becoming a real problem. About a year ago we spotted a botnet not spreading malware or phishing, it was just mining bitcoins."
Hypponen went on to explain that Bitcoins' financial allure has already made established cyber criminals rethink their strategies and adapt some of the biggest, most dangerous botnets in the world to mine Bitcoins.
"ZeroAccess used to monetise itself with click fraud. They got on the machine and made it click on adverts to earn money. They changed their tactic in spring and went fully into Bitcoin mining. Some of our estimates suggest it is earning $58,000 a day. That's real money and something they will want to move to the real world," he said.
This is where the toaster idea comes in. Hypponen added that many of the gangs are so enthralled by Bitcoin's potential they've started experimenting with the idea of turning non-traditional devices into mines.
"[When mining Bitcoins] the user is irrelevant, it's the GPU, the computer and the network connection they need. This is especially interesting when you look at automation. I have a pebble watch, it has a GPU, it could mine Bitcoins, so does my fridge and my toaster – these are going to be used to mine Bitcoins," he said.
"We accepted toasters would eventually have computers, but didn't think it would be a problem – who would want to write malware for a toaster right? Well now they have a reason."
This may be a far-fetched example of how far the threat could go, but as recent hacks of IP-based lightbulbs have shown, the home of the future could be open to all kinds of attacks, even burnt toast.

http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/the-frontline-blog/2296670/hackers-could-turn-toasters-into-bitcoin-mines-as-value-rockets

Oh for fucks sake, what are they going to say next? Battlefield 4 is being used by Bitcoin users for military exercises? You can use a playstation controller to operate a deactivated tank so therefore it's a security risk? BAN COOKING POTS!!!

... It doesn't appear to be a gag site. There goes F-Secure's credibility right down the shitter, with a "chief research officer" like that.

"'I have a pebble watch, it has a GPU, it could mine Bitcoins, so does my fridge and my toaster – these are going to be used to mine Bitcoins,' he said."

implying F-Secure ever had any credibility

http://mishuna.image.pbase.com/u7/erichmangl/upload/1057630.iedbuttoaster.gif http://www.burntimpressions.com/assets/images/toast/butterfly.jpg

I think I need a filmware update for my miner.

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/money-toaster-8337354.jpg

Just to prove that Bruce Wagner still reads this forum...

http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/1x3117245/man_sitting_cross_legged_on_top_of_washing_machine_in_launderette_using_laptop_computer_PBC13014.jpg
"Mr. Gel--come here--I want to see you."

http://media.coindesk.com/2013/07/bitwasher-300x185.jpeg

The Brødrister being...wait for it...burned in.

http://laughingsquid.com/wp-content/images/netbsd_toaster.jpg

Meanwhile, outside ToastCoin's headquarter, people are lining up to fill out applications, all hoping to be the new COO.

http://www.fotomundo.net/Galleries/Cube/Fun_City/ringling_bros_clowns_std.jpg

Actually I wonder if I could build a toaster out of block erupters. Mount them so the plates face the toast on both sides, plug in, and mine.

Ties into my new line of bitcoin space heaters, ovens, and hot water tanks. :-)

maybe that's what the authors were actually writing about...

I suspect plenty of you focus too much on the title and barely looked at the article :P

Oh mah gosh! MAH ALARM CLOCK IS MININ' BITCOIN! RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

Welcome to my ignore list.

Wait a minute?Toasters can be smart like smartphones (and soon to be built DIY NAS) and can therefore be used as BTC miners? Wow. :)

I didnt hear so far about botnet or malware taking over ASIC minners. The owner will notice quickly the miner doesnt generate him BTC :)

If toasters can mine just imagine what my hot tube can do! I'll brb, going back in time real quick.

setting up miners takes a lot more tech knowledge than buying BTC usually, so owners should know a bit about security