Investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is always risky because of the very strong fluctuations in value, but there is also another danger to consider.
Everyone is talking about Bitcoin and everyone is wondering if it is safe to invest their money in this cryptocurrency, which in the space of a month has gone from a quotation of 15,000 euros on December 10 to that of 31,000 euros on January 10, making quite a few people rich. Apart from the crazy fluctuations of Bitcoin's value, there is also something else to be careful of: viruses.
Intezer researchers have found some apps related to the world of cryptocurrencies, not only Bitcoin but also Ethereum and all the others, that have been used to convey a dangerous malware: ElectroRAT. As the most computer-security savvy may have already guessed, this virus is a RAT: Remote Access Trojan, which is a remote spying software that can be used to steal valuable information from us. But ElectroRAT does even worse, as it is capable of emptying the user's cryptocurrency wallet, leaving the user without a penny of cryptocurrency. The apps uncovered by Intezer are quite widespread, because they are available for different platforms: Linux, Windows and macOS.
What apps are infected by ElectroRAT
The infected apps uncovered by Intezer are three, two cryptocurrency wallet managers and a poker game with virtual coin winnings. They are Jamm, eTrade and DaoPoker. All these apps were heavily sponsored on various forums dedicated to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, through profiles that later turned out to be fake.
Those who organized the ElectroRAT operation also took care of creating social Twitter pages for the three apps in order to make them more credible to users. A Twitter profile with more than 25,000 followers was also found to be sponsoring eTrade.
So, behind this operation, there is a clever organization that left nothing to chance, also because the three infected apps, after all, all work and the user has no way to suspect anything.
How to buy and sell Bitcoin safely
Against the volatility of cryptocurrencies there is absolutely nothing to do and no one can defend us from a collapse in the value of Bitcoins overnight. As of today, investing in virtual currencies is practically gambling.
Those who want to do it, however, should choose secure and reliable solutions. Some famous payment card apps, such as Nexi, Hype and N26, allow you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies relying on the Conio circuit, retaining a percentage of transactions.