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Microsoft Discovers Cryptocurrency Stealer That Spreads Through USB Drives and Uses Tor

20 June 2026 at 16:34
Ars Technica's senior security editor reports: Microsoft says it has detected new self-propagating malware that spreads through USB drives in search of cryptocurrency credentials, which it then sends to attacker-controlled servers. The company named the worm Crypto Clipper because it monitors the contents of device clipboards for patterns consistent with wallet addresses or seed phrases. When found, the malware also takes five screenshots over a 10-second period... "The execution of this clipper is notable because it does not depend on a traditional installer or exposed IP-based C2 infrastructure," Microsoft said Thursday. "Instead, it deploys a portable Tor client, routes traffic through a local SOCKS5 proxy, and blends data theft with remote code execution, turning a financially motivated stealer into a lightweight backdoor." Microsoft said it observed Crypto Clipper spreading through .lnk file on a USB drive. These files store executable code. When an infected USB drive is plugged into a device, the code checks whether it is already installed on the machine. If it isn't, the malware downloads it through the Tor proxy. To better conceal evidence of the worm, the malware scans the infected USB drive and names the .lnk files with similar names... The stealer also replaces addresses it finds with ones belonging to attacker-controlled wallets. This allows the malware to divert payments to the attacker's pockets. Microsoft believes the purpose of the screenshots is to provide context that may be useful. "This malware family shows how lightweight, script-based stealers can deliver outsized impact when paired with anonymized communications and runtime tasking," Microsoft said. "The combination of Tor-routed C2, clipboard targeting, screenshot capture, and remote code execution gives attackers both immediate monetization paths and continued control over compromised devices." Thanks to Slashdot reader joshuark for sharing the news.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

From PGP to Mythos: a brief history of export controls that didn’t stop anyone

19 June 2026 at 23:40
For the last 30 years, stopping the flow of cybersecurity-related software has proven to be ineffective. It's unclear why it would work now with Anthropic’s cybersecurity model Mythos.

New Unpatchable Exploit Targets Apple Devices With A12 and A13 Chips

By: BeauHD
19 June 2026 at 19:00
Researchers have disclosed a new unpatchable BootROM exploit affecting Apple devices with A12, A13, S4, and S5 chips. The attack requires physical USB access and DFU mode, but can let an attacker run code before iOS loads, bypass signature checks, and boot modified software. 9to5Mac reports the details: In a highly detailed technical post published today, the Paradigm Shift Team details usbliter8, a new exploit that "leverages both a hardware bug in the USB controller and a specific configuration flaw present in the device firmware" and cannot be patched. The PS Team explains that ahead of today's disclosure, it shared its findings and worked with Apple Product Security to coordinate the release. The researchers also thanked Apple's security team for its "prompt response, constructive engagement, and cooperation throughout" the process. In a nutshell, this bug affects the following Apple SoCs: A12, S4, S5, and A13. [...] They add that "technical support for A12X/Z is possible," but "it is not currently implemented." That could add the 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro lineups to the list. The way usbliter8 works is: it sends specially crafted data to a device over USB while it is in DFU mode, confusing the USB controller and causing it to write data to the wrong part of memory. That gives an attacker with physical access to the device control over its startup process. From there, they can run their own code before iOS loads, bypass signature checks, and boot modified system software. Importantly, the exploit does not affect or compromise the device's Secure Enclave, which in practice means that data such as passcodes and encrypted user data remain secure. That said, PS Team says that "although usbliter8 doesn't affect SEP itself, it opens up wider attack vectors to compromise the Secure Enclave," adding that "by releasing this exploit publicly, we hope to highlight the real-world impact of these hardware flaws and contribute to a broader understanding of modern SecureROM security." [...] Given that this is also an unpatchable exploit, the researchers note that "affected users should be aware that migrating to newer hardware remains the most effective mitigation."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Australia's social media ban shows UK child safety measures are bound to fail β€” and it's not because of VPNs

While the UK seeks to copy Australia’s world-first social media ban, evidence suggests that most teens are still using their accounts Down Under without the need to download a VPN app. So, why put every citizens' privacy at risk for an approach that’s proven to be failing?

Is the US government’s Anthropic ban accidentally helping the brand?

19 June 2026 at 17:08
Just as last weekΒ was ending,Β the US governmentΒ forced Anthropic to pull its two newest models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, citing national security concerns after Amazon researchers allegedly found a way to bypass Fable 5’s guardrails.Β  Cybersecurity researchers haveΒ since signed an open letterΒ callingΒ the move dangerous, and Anthropic itself noted the same jailbreaks exist in other models.Β SoΒ is […]

Reality check: Could the UK's social media ban lead to VPN restrictions?

As the British Prime Minister shared plans to ban all under-16s from social media, speculation is mounting as to whether VPNs will be next. While we wait for the government to share further information on this in July, here's how the debate has been unfolding.

Webinar: How attackers bypass MFA and how defenders can respond

19 June 2026 at 13:12
Modern phishing attacks, including Device Code phishing, can undermine MFA protections and grant attackers access to corporate accounts without stealing passwords. This webinar explores how behavioral AI can help security teams detect compromised accounts faster and automate response workflows. [...]
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