Attention! Raccoon Targets Numerous Browsers to Steal Your Cryptos

A new threat is in sight — the so-called Raccoon malware. According to the technology news site ZDNet, Raccoon’s popularity among cybercriminals is growing due to its extensive capabilities. While it isn’t the cheapest option for hackers, the malware gives them the ability to attack at least 60 applications, many of which are browsers that we use today.

The Raccoon “Infostealer” or “Racealer” is particularly adept at stealing data from infected devices. It has become more attractive thanks to its large following in the underground forums, where it is promoted intensively due to its easy-to-use backend and its wide range of skills. The malware costs $200 a month and was first discovered in April 2019 by researchers from the cybersecurity company Cybereason.

According to an analysis by Cyberark, many thieves are not as clever and use the same techniques to steal information. In the case of Raccoon, however, the C ++ malware is able to steal data from 35 browsers and a total of 60 applications. The Raccoon is usually spread through phishing campaigns and exploit kits. Fraudulent emails sent to potential victims contain attachments to MS Office documents with malicious code, while exploit kits are typically hosted on websites. Victims are screened for potential browser-based vulnerabilities and redirected to a website where the exploit kit is waiting.

Cryptos are in danger

Raccoon can not only steal financial information and online access data, but also scan PC data (such as operating system types and installed applications), crypto wallets and browser information including cookies, history logs and automatically filled passwords. The Raccoon malware targets include popular browsers such as Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Opera, Internet Explorer, TorBro and many more. In addition, Raccoon tries to compromise the email clients ThunderBird, Outlook and Foxmail.

Also, cryptocurrencies are at risk. Raccoon targets certain wallets such as Electrum, Ethereum, Exodus, Jaxx, Monero and Bither. It scans for the application folders to steal the credentials for the wallet. It is therefore advisable to use a hardware wallet to protect its cryptos from such attacks. In addition, you should also change the passwords regularly and use different passwords for different websites and online services.

Author: Marko Vidrih

Featured image credit: Freepik