Hacker mercenaries targeting governments and drug dealers with attacks
The 'MiniDuke' hackers are targeting everyone from national governments to drug dealers, serving as cyber mercenaries carrying out attacks for pay.
The 'MiniDuke' hacker group are targeting governments and drug dealers, likely serving as cyber mercenaries working for a paid backer, using malware to compromise users. It's not uncommon to hear government departments, the private sector and public infrastructure being targeted, but focusing on drug dealers seems to be a newer twist.
A total of 23 countries were affected by MiniDuke, with an aim of plucking data and credential information - and the malware is evolving to now include commercial code, as it appears a subdivision could receive funds from law enforcement or rival criminal groups trying to steal drug-related information.
"They are more like underground cybercriminals than a typical nation state," said a Kaspersky Lab researcher. "This is what makes them stand out. They were collecting everything like emails, names, nicknames and handles."
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