- Google Threat Intelligence has identified “Ghostblade,” a new, stealthy crypto-stealing Malware for iOS devices.
- The JavaScript malware steals private keys, messaging data, and sensitive personal information before shutting down to avoid detection.
- Losses from crypto hacks fell sharply to $49 million in February as attackers pivoted towards exploiting human error via phishing.
Google Threat Intelligence has identified a new, stealthy form of crypto-stealing malware called “Ghostblade” targeting Apple iOS devices, which executes a rapid data theft operation before shutting off. The malware is part of the “DarkSword” suite of browser-based tools designed specifically to steal cryptocurrency private keys and other sensitive information.
Ghostblade is written in JavaScript and activates only briefly to grab data and relay it to malicious servers, according to Google Threat Intelligence. Consequently, its transient operation and deletion of crash reports make it harder to detect, preventing Apple from receiving flagging alerts.
The malware can access and relay data from iMessage, Telegram, WhatsApp, and steal SIM card, identity, multimedia, and geolocation information. Meanwhile, losses from broader crypto hacks fell to $49 million in February, a sharp decrease from January’s $385 million, according to blockchain intelligence platform Nominis.
This drop reflects a pivot from code-based cyber threats to attacks exploiting human error, such as phishing. These attempts use fake websites with near-identical URLs to embed malware that steals private keys, Nominis said in its report. DarkSword and its components underscore the evolving methods malicious actors use to steal crypto from unsuspecting users.
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