Threat Update: Ransomware, Crypto-mining Malware, BTMs And ICO Fraud Schemes

Scammers recently delivered messages to various targets threatening to detonate explosive devices carried by an unidentified "mercenary" unless the targets paid a $20,000 ransom to a bitcoin wallet by the end of the business day. The sender(s) targeted individuals in geographically dispersed English-speaking countries, such as the U.S., Canada and New Zealand. Authorities in these jurisdictions have reported that no explosives were actually found.

In addition to so-called crypto-ransomware, another emerging threat are bitcoin ATMs (BTMs), which according to a recent report are spreading quickly and may pose high risks of money laundering. Perhaps the most pervasive current threat is crypto-mining malware, which, according to a new Threats Report from McAfee Labs, has increased 4,000 percent over the past year.