Cybercrooks Target Younger Generations via Bitcoin Mining and Digital Pickpocketing

Recent changes in the tides of online cyber crime has meant a general pull away from malware - and other similar forms of malicious cybercriminal practices - that specifically targets monetary marks like credit cards, online banking, and PayPal-type accounts.

The reasons for this pull away seems to be rooted in the factuality that these particular types of monetary marks are proving to be much less lucrative and increasingly more difficult to successfully access. With new security measures being endemically put in place to protect such monetary marks, as well as with the emergence of simpler targets, cybercriminals seem to be evolving their malicious habits to coincide with the path of least resistance.

Two New, Emerging Trends Being Established by Cybercrooks

Two new trends have been reported as the theft of digital currency from Bitcoin users and malicious attacks that specifically target Facebook accounts (i.e. survey scams and clickjacking).

Evidence provided by top computer security experts reveals that digital pickpockets are able to gain illegal access to a range of digital currencies, like Bitcoins, by exploiting the vulnerabilities that come with possessing an online wallet. Bitcoin users typically control an 'online wallet,' which stores their Bitcoin stash; therefore, if a cybercriminal is able to access your online Bitcoin wallet, they are able to delete the corresponding data from your computer and you will then lose any and all digital currency linked to the program in question.

In terms of Facebook cyber crime dealings, specifically, 'clickjacking' has become one of the primary methods employed by cybercriminals to rob unsuspecting users via their Facebook accounts. The malicious art of clickjacking is when cybercriminals embed malicious code in popular videos that circulate across Facebook. Circulating from user wall to user wall, these malicious products are created and designed to target users' phone numbers - most often, by utilizing some kind of seditious, bogus online survey in tandem - and then the cyber crooks responsible are able to attach an automated fee onto your monthly phone bill.

Cyber Crime on the Mobile Platform

According to AVG's recently released Community Powered Threat Report, "Cyber criminals are targeting high-profile platforms, gadgets, or services where, even if only a small percentage will fall victim, cybercriminals will still gain considerable amounts of money." With these types of cyber crime comprising new trends, the AVG report stated that Bitcoins, Facebook credits, Zynga coins, and Xbox points are all digital currencies being targeted and attacked by cybercriminals.

According to estimates made by the United Nations, all across the globe there are approximately 5.6 billion mobile phone users. Another way to view this statistic is that there are around five mobile phone users to one PC user. These estimates illustrate the fact that the number of potential victims is infinitely higher on the mobile platform.

By utilizing both of the two aforementioned newer, emerging cyber crime trends, cybercriminals are able to target and access new, previously uncharted revenue streams.

Such recent trends reveal that spiteful cybercriminals are targeting easier money, and in doing so, a younger crowd of computer users. In fact, experts within the online computer security community have reported that cybercriminals are utilizing malware-based cyber scams and younger generations' high demand for smartphones to target and steal digital currency from unknowing, unsuspecting, and gullible computer users.

Tony Anscombe, a senior security evangelist for AVG, surmised this issue well in his statement that "Cyber criminals are looking to use mobile phones to take money from users because if you can get users to transact with you through their mobile phone, then you can extract money from users in this way."

Delving into this particular issue of utilizing the smartphone market to rob unsuspecting users, these particular types of theft often appears in the form of text messaging or premium SMS services' charges. For cybercriminals, the convenience of this practice lies in the fact that no credit cards are required. In fact, all that cybercriminals need to do is procure a smartphone mobile number that will enable them to apply a minimal fee to each bill – often ranging from one dollar to ten dollars – which usually goes completely un-noticed by the smartphone's user because the fee appears to be directly connected to text messaging services or their like.