To
the moon and hack: Fake SafeMoon app drops malware to spy on you
Cryptocurrencies rise and
fall, but one thing stays the same – cybercriminals attempt to cash in on the
craze
Cybercriminals are trying
to capitalize on “the next big thing” in the turbulent cryptocurrency space in
an attempt to take remote control of people’s computers and then steal their
passwords and money. A campaign spotted recently impersonates the SafeMoon
cryptocurrency app and uses a fake update to lure Discord users to a website
that distributes a well-known remote access tool (RAT).
SafeMoon is one of the
latest altcoins to, well, shoot for the moon. Ever since its inception six
months ago, SafeMoon has been highly popular (and duly volatile), with the
craze propelled by influencers and numerous enthusiasts on social media. The
buzz hasn’t escaped the notice of scammers, as swindles
targeting cryptocurrency users – including fraud
that namedrops celebrities to give
it some extra allure – have been running rampant for years.
Houston, we have a problem
The ruse exploiting
SafeMoon’s sudden popularity begins with a message (Figure 1) that scammers
have sent to a number of users on Discord, where they pose as the official SafeMoon account on the
site to promote a new
version of the app.
