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March's Most Wanted Malware: Cryptomining Malware That Works Outside the Web Browser on the Rise, says Check PointSAN CARLOS, Calif., April 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:CHKP), a leading provider of cyber-security solutions globally, has published its latest Global Threat Index for the month of March, revealing a surge of cryptomining malware attacks – specifically, an endpoint cryptomining malware known as the XMRig variant. First seen in the wild in May 2017, XMRig entered Check Point’s top ten most wanted malware index (8th) for the first time during March 2018, after a 70% increase in global impact. By working on the end point device rather than the web browser itself, XMRig is able to mine the Monero cryptocurrency without needing an active web browser session on the victim’s computer. “Cryptomining malware has been quite the success story for cybercriminals, and XMRig’s rise indicates that they are actively invested in modifying and improving their methods in order to stay ahead of the curve,” said Maya Horowitz, Threat Intelligence Group Manager at Check Point. “Besides slowing down PCs and servers, cryptomining malware can spread laterally once inside the network, posing a major security threat to its victims. It is therefore critical that enterprises employ a multi-layered cybersecurity strategy that protects against both established malware families and brand new threats.” In March, Coinhive retained its most wanted spot for the fourth consecutive month impacting 18% of organizations, followed by the Rig EK Exploit Kit in second (17%) while the Cryptoloot miner was third (impacting 15%). XMRig was the 8th most common malware variant, impacting 5% of organizations. March 2018’s Top 3 ‘Most Wanted’ Malware:
Lokibot, an Android banking Trojan which grants super user privileges to download malware, was the most popular malware used to attack organizations’ mobile estates followed by the Triada and Hiddad. March’s Top 3 ‘Most Wanted’ mobile malware:
March’s Top 3 ‘Most Wanted’ vulnerabilities:
Check Point’s Global Threat Impact Index and its ThreatCloud Map is powered by Check Point’s ThreatCloud intelligence. ThreatCloud draws upon a wide variety of intelligence feeds coming from advanced in-house malware and threat research, AI algorithms and automated processes, partnerships and open sources in order to deliver threat data and attack trends. As the world’s largest threat intelligence network, ThreatCloud detects hundreds of millions of malicious events a day, collecting information from over a hundred thousand gateways and millions of endpoints worldwide. * The complete list of the top 10 malware families in March can be found on the Check Point Blog: http://blog.checkpoint.com/2018/04/16/marchs-wanted-malware-cryptomining-malware-works-even-outside-web-browser-rise/ Check Point’s Threat Prevention Resources are available at: http://www.checkpoint.com/threat-prevention-resources/index.html Follow Check Point via: About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. INVESTOR CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT: |