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BtcMine Linux Trojan

A new multifunctional trojan has been observed targeting Linux users. It is currently operating under its generic detection name, Linux.BtcMine.174. Its main function is to mine for the Monero cryptocurrency.

Threat ID:
CC-2749
Category:
Trojan, Spyware, Miner
Threat Severity:
Low
Threat Vector:
Vulnerability
Published:
28 November 2018 12:00 AM
Report a cyber attack: call 0300 303 5222 or email [email protected]

This content has been archived

This article no longer conforms to NHS Digital's standards for cyber alerts, and may contain outdated or inaccurate information. Use of this information contained in this page is at your own risk

Summary

A new multifunctional trojan has been observed targeting Linux users. It is currently operating under its generic detection name, Linux.BtcMine.174. Its main function is to mine for the Monero cryptocurrency.

Affected platforms

The following platforms are known to be affected:

Linux

Linux Distributions

Threat details

At the time of publication, it is unclear how Linux.BtcMine.174 is being delivered. An initial shell script is executed on infected devices and then copies itself to a folder on disk that has write permissions, for later use. It will also attempt to connect to any remote servers that the infected device has connected to via Secure Shell, while collecting information and user credentials.

Once installed, Linux.BtcMine.174 will seek to escalate its privileges and gain root permissions by exploiting one of two known vulnerabilities (Dirty COW and CVE-2013-2094). Linux.BtcMine.174 has several distinct capabilities including:

It will also download an additional piece of malware, known as the Bill Gates trojan, which has distributed denial-of-service and backdoor functions.

For further information:

Remediation steps

Type Step

To prevent and detect a trojan infection, ensure that:

  • A robust program of education and awareness training is delivered to users to ensure they don’t open attachments or follow links within unsolicited emails.
  • All operating systems, anti-virus and other security products are kept up-to-date.
  • Regular anti-virus and security scans are performed on your organisation’s estate.
  • All day-to-day computer activities such as email and internet are performed using non-administrative accounts.
  • Strong password policies are in place.
  • Network, proxy and firewall logs should be monitored for suspicious activity.
  • User accounts accessed from affected devices should be reset on a clean computer.
  • Your organisation adopts a holistic all-round approach to Cyber Security as advocated by the 10 Steps to Cyber Security.

To protect against a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, organisations should ensure:

Should an organisation suspect it is subject to an active DDoS attack, they should ensure that every effort is made to stop the attack and restore service. However, care should be taken to ensure that the attackers are not using the DDoS attack as a distraction whilst other, potentially more sensitive, systems are exploited. Monitoring of critical systems is recommended, including the use of host-based intrusion prevention and detection systems (HIPS/HIDS) where appropriate.

Last edited: 17 February 2020 1:00 pm