Microsoft Security Intelligence Detects Crypto Mining Script in Late Kobe Bryant’s Photo

While the world morns the tragic death of the NBA legend, Kobe Bryant, cybercriminals are also taking advantage of it. Microsoft Security Intelligence has identified a crypto mining script in the wallpaper photo of the late basketball player.

The team posted on their official twitter account that they have found a malicious HTML file posing as a Bryant wallpaper that contains a coin mining scripts.

While the world mourns the loss of an NBA legend, cybercriminals are, as expected, taking advantage of the tragedy. We found a malicious HTML file posing as a Kobe Bryant wallpaper that contains a coin mining script. pic.twitter.com/w2JwPvqFy5

— Microsoft Security Intelligence (@MsftSecIntel) January 30, 2020

Cybercriminals use steganography in order to hide crypto mining code inside the photos of celebrities. Steganography is an ancient practice of concealing a file inside another file for illicit activities.

There have been several celebrities that have fallen victims to such an elaborate crypto mining scam. Quite recently, mining botnet MyKingz was found in a photo of American pop star Taylor Swift. Her photo contained an EXE file that, if executed, could utilize the resources of your computer to mine Monero (XMR).

The picture of Oscar-nominated actress Scarlett Johansson was also found containing a malware hidden by hackers. 

Hackers usually prefer the use of photos of celebrities because that is one of the easiest ways to get crypto-mining programs installed on users’ computers. Very few antivirus products are able to detect malicious code in such genuine image files.           

Featured Image Courtesy of Shutterstock 

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