StripedFly Malware Hiding in Plain Sight as a Cryptocurrency Miner
A rather deceptive piece of malware has infected 1 million Windows and Linux hosts since 2017.
Attention Linux Users: A malicious framework has been active for 5 years and has been incorrectly classified as a Monero cryptocurrency miner.
StripedFly uses very sophisticated TOR-based methods to keep the malware hidden and uses worm-like capabilities to spread its nasty payload from Linux machine to Linux machine (or Linux to Windows and vice versa).
No one is certain if StripedFly is being used for monetary purposes or straight-up cybersecurity attacks (for information gathering), what is clear is that it's an advanced persistent threat (APT) type of malware.
The earliest known version of StripedFly was in April 2016 and, since then, it has infected more than a million systems. The StripedFly payload features a customized TOR network client that works to obfuscate communication to a C2 (Command and Control) server, as well as the ability to disable SMBv1 and spread to other hosts via SSH and EternalBlue.
When StripedFly infects a Linux system, it is named sd-pam and uses both systemd services and a special .desktop file to keep it persistent. It also modifies various Linux startup files like /etc/rc*, .profile, .bashrc, and inittab.
You can read Kaspersky's in-depth analysis of StripedFly. At the moment, patches to mitigate against StripedFly have yet to be released for Linux, but you can be certain your distribution of choice will be releasing the fix as soon as it is made available.
In the meantime, do everything you can to avoid phishing or visiting known malicious websites. As well, keep your systems up to date and use a password manager.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Halcyon Creates Anti-Ransomware Protection for Linux
As more Linux systems are targeted by ransomware, Halcyon is stepping up its protection.
-
Valve and Arch Linux Announce Collaboration
Valve and Arch have come together for two projects that will have a serious impact on the Linux distribution.
-
Hacker Successfully Runs Linux on a CPU from the Early ‘70s
From the office of "Look what I can do," Dmitry Grinberg was able to get Linux running on a processor that was created in 1971.
-
OSI and LPI Form Strategic Alliance
With a goal of strengthening Linux and open source communities, this new alliance aims to nurture the growth of more highly skilled professionals.
-
Fedora 41 Beta Available with Some Interesting Additions
If you're a Fedora fan, you'll be excited to hear the beta version of the latest release is now available for testing and includes plenty of updates.
-
AlmaLinux Unveils New Hardware Certification Process
The AlmaLinux Hardware Certification Program run by the Certification Special Interest Group (SIG) aims to ensure seamless compatibility between AlmaLinux and a wide range of hardware configurations.
-
Wind River Introduces eLxr Pro Linux Solution
eLxr Pro offers an end-to-end Linux solution backed by expert commercial support.
-
Juno Tab 3 Launches with Ubuntu 24.04
Anyone looking for a full-blown Linux tablet need look no further. Juno has released the Tab 3.
-
New KDE Slimbook Plasma Available for Preorder
Powered by an AMD Ryzen CPU, the latest KDE Slimbook laptop is powerful enough for local AI tasks.
-
Rhino Linux Announces Latest "Quick Update"
If you prefer your Linux distribution to be of the rolling type, Rhino Linux delivers a beautiful and reliable experience.