Windows and Linux devices are under attack by a new cryptomining worm

A Juniper researcher discovered that Sysrv botnet, a new cryptomining worm, is targeting Windows and Linux devices via multiple new capabilities and exploits, reports Ars Technica. This malware spreads from one device to another by using the internet to look for vulnerable devices and infecting them without any user action. Sysrv also has a cryptominer that creates the Monero digital currency through the infected devices. Developers redesigned the malware last month to create a single binary that combines both the worm and the miner, as well as enabling the malware script to add SSH keys that would increase its survival during reboots and to add more sophisticated features. “Based on the binaries we have seen and the time when we have seen them, we found that the threat actor is constantly updating its exploit arsenal,” said researcher Paul Kimayong. The mining pools that can be used by the infected devices were also changed by the malware developers. “Combined together, they almost have 50% of the network hash rate. The threat actor’s criteria appears to be top mining pools with high reward rates,” Kimayong wrote.