The unstoppable rise of cryptocurrencies has once again placed them in the radar of cybercriminals. With Bitcoin exceeding $ 100,000, promoted by the arrival of Donald Trump to the White House, the interest in these digital assets does not stop growing. However, this phenomenon not only attracts investors, but also new threats. According to the latest report prepared by ESET, malicious software attacks for cryptocurrency theft increased 56% in the second half of 2024, checking users, ‘Exchange’ and ‘Wallets’.
“The increase in the value of cryptocurrencies in 2024 is one of the main reasons behind the increase in threats aimed at users and companies linked to these cryptoactives,” says Josep Albors, director of research and awareness of ESET Spain. “That there are more people interested in cryptocurrencies also increases the number of potential operations and, therefore, the number of related cyberattacks,” he adds.
Some of the most relevant threats, according to Albors, are the attacks of ‘phishing’ and the ‘infostealers’, designed to steal credentials and compromise the security of those who operate with cryptoactive. These threats spread through different operating systems and evolve quickly. In macOS, programs such as Amos subtract credentials of digital wallets, while in Windows, the ‘Lumma Stealer malware continues to expand. In Android, bank Trojans have incorporated functions to appropriate cryptocurrency, while phishing and ‘deepfakes’ raise the risk for digital assets, according to ESET in their latest report.
«Phishing ‘remains one of the most common and effective tactics of cybercriminals. With the rise of the generative AI, phishing campaigns have become faster and faster, so it is even more important cryptocurrencies. To try to respond to these threats, within this platform they seek to promote a preventive mentality among their employees, since in this they process billions of euros in volume of transactions every day, says Perco.
The crypto ecosystem, which moves more than 3 million billion dollars, offers Low entrance barrierswhich encourages attacks and fraud, says Luis Pastor, teacher of the Master at Blockchain and investment in IEB digital assets. Although security has improved, it is still exposed to risks of the web2 environment and threats of decentralized systems, says Pastor. Despite measures such as cold custody and audits of ‘Smart Contracts’, its level of protection remains far from banking or traditional ‘fintech’, he adds.
The protection of cryptocurrencies in the face of attacks such as ‘phishing’, advanced malware and fraud in exchanges and purses remains a challenge, according to Luis Corrons, an expert in cybersecurity of Gen. When operating in a decentralized ecosystem, the foul Supervision complicates the application of safety standards, warns. However, the greatest risk is human, since social engineering attacks facilitate fraud through ‘phishing and’ malware ‘, exploiting errors such as the download of false applications or malicious links. To mitigate these threats, cybersecurity education is key together with the use of multifactor encryption and authentication, he says. In that aspect, Juan Elorduy, a professor at Digit Institute, points out that the main risk for cryptocurrency users is the ignorance of its operation. «Many crypto users do not distinguish between crypto property and crypto possession. It sounds the same and this is a serious mistake, ”says Elorduy.
«The problem does not reside in the world of cryptocurrencies itself, but in the security measures applied by users. If someone is careless with their credentials, it does not use additional protection and authentication layers, or ignore the basic security notions, it becomes a Easy dam for cybercriminalsregardless of whether it is cryptocurrencies or other types of assets, ”says Albors, ESET Spain. To this lack of knowledge is added the growing sophistication of attacks aimed at exchange platforms and digital purses, where cybercriminals seek vulnerabilities to access users’ funds, explains Damián Rivera, Bit2me cybersecurity manager. To deal with these threats, the company has reinforced its security strategy with a several layer protection system, which includes two factors, cold storage and constant monitoring to detect suspicious activities in real time. He also performs penetration tests to identify possible vulnerabilities and apply strict access controls and cybersecurity training for his team, he says.
Given the constant evolution of cyberamezas, the platform is committed to a flexible strategy, Rivera stands out. Bit2me closely follows the new attack tactics, collaborates with experts in the sector and meets international standards such as ISO27001 and ISO22301 certifications. Beyond technology, it encourages an internal security culture, convinced that confidence in the crypto ecosystem depends on the ability to anticipate and respond to risks, he concludes.
Meanwhile, the crypto ecosystem continues to present important deficiencies in security, both at the business level and in the field of users, says Albors, of ESET Spain. Many companies have suffered attacks that resulted in the loss of their own assets or their clients, often because they do not implement existing protection measures, he explains. The lack of adequate controls remains a critical point that allows cybercriminals to exploit predictable vulnerabilities, he adds.
Users, meanwhile, continue to be a frequent target of attacks that take advantage of ‘malware’, social engineering and unauthorized use of mining resources, says Albors. Although it is mostly well -known variants of threats, they continue to generate significant losses, he warns. In recent years, the use of artificial intelligence has allowed more sophisticated ‘deepfakes’ to deceive users, but in essence, these scams are an evolution of existing fraud, he concludes.
Great responsibility
«Cryptocurrencies are changing our way of seeing financial services. They eliminate the expensive intermediaries, accelerate global transactions and give users the real property of their assets, ”says Kraken. Unlike traditional banking, cryptocurrencies allow people to safely store their funds in their own digital portfolios, which gives them total custody control, he says.
However, self -ocustody implies a great responsibility, he warns. If a user loses his key phrase, there are no intermediaries that can recover access to the funds, which makes it essential to apply rigorous security measures, he points out. This difference with traditional banking underlines the importance of cybersecurity in the crypto ecosystem, which, as I perceive, is more advanced, efficient and inclusive, designed for the future of technology.
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