Illicit activists are utilizing Dogecoin API to hamper mining software

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Updated on Jul 31, 2020

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The hackers are utilizing Dogecoin transaction to infiltrate Monero-mining system.
Attackers are masking their location by accessing API with Dogecoin wallets.
The attack is still active and authorities are looking for a way to prevent it.

The conflicts of Dogecoin do not seem to be stopping at all. As the meme coin is once again in talks because of its use cases. Yesterday, Intezer Labs, a security service entity published a report on its website claiming that an old hacker was accessing the mining malware on public servers.

The Intezer Labs came to discover the attacker when analysts at the firm were analyzing a backdoor malware called Doki.

The firm discovered an attacker was operating under the pseudonym, Ngrok. Although one key dissimilarity was grasping the attention of security researchers. For the first time, a perpetrator had discovered a distinctive way to infiltrate public web servers using the Dogecoin wallet.

As per the Intezer report:

“Doki uses a previously undocumented method to contact its operator by abusing the Dogecoin cryptocurrency blockchain in a unique way in order to dynamically generate its C2 domain address”

Incident of the attack

Furthermore, Intezer notices hackers attacked command and control (C2) servers in an effort to amend the C2 addresses using DOGE transactions. The command and control servers operate and control compromised systems.

After changing the C2 addresses on exposed systems, hackers were simultaneously able to change their location (online). Therefore this gave hackers the opportunity to conduct the attack without worrying about getting caught by the law enforcement authorities.

Intezer said:

“Why utilize this method? These steps meant security firms needed to access the hacker’s Dogecoin wallet to take down Doki, which was “impossible” without knowing the wallet’s private keys.”

This is not the first time Dogecoin is in talks. The meme coin was also a hot topic as traders were encouraging TikTok users to invest in DOGE. As a result, the price went 95% up. As we all know, Dogecoin is Alan Musk’s sidekick project, and he openly supports it. In fact, he keeps on posting tweets from time to time.

And for the attack, it is still in play. However, one way to prevent it is make sure the APIs are disconnected to the internet.