Worm-Cryptominer Combo Lets You Game While Using NSA Exploits to Move Laterally

Bitdefender researchers recently analyzed a worm-cryptominer combo that uses a series of exploits to move laterally and compromise victims, while pausing the resource-intensive cryptomining process if it finds popular games running on the victim’s machine. Our investigation revealed that some modules of the worm-cryptominer combo seem to have been regularly updated to increase stealth, make it difficult for security researchers to analyze it, and improve lateral movement and capabilities.