The malware payload “LightlessCan" — used in fake job scams — is far more challenging to detect than its predecessor, warns cybersecurity researchers at ESET.
North Korean hacking collective Lazarus Group has been using a new type of “sophisticated” malware as part of its fake employment scams — which researchers warn is far more challenging to detect than its predecessor.
According to a Sept. 29 post from ESET’s senior malware researcher Peter Kálnai, while analyzing a recent fake job attack against a Spain-based aerospace firm, ESET researchers discovered a publicly undocumented backdoor named LightlessCan.
#ESET researchers unveiled their findings about an attack by the North Korea-linked #APT group #Lazarus that took aim at an aerospace company in Spain.
The Lazarus Group’s fake job scam typically involves tricking victims with a potential offer of employment at a well-known firm. The attackers would entice victims to download a malicious payload masqueraded as documents to do all sorts of damage.
However, Kálnai says the new LightlessCan payload is a “significant advancement” compared to its predecessor BlindingCan.
“LightlessCan mimics the functionalities of a wide range of native Windows commands, enabling discreet execution within the RAT itself instead of noisy console executions.”
“This approach offers a significant advantage in terms of stealthiness, both in evading real-time monitoring solutions like EDRs, and postmortem digital forensic tools,” he said.
️♂️ Beware of fake LinkedIn recruiters! Find out how Lazarus group exploited a Spanish aerospace company via trojanized coding challenge. Dive into the details of their cyberespionage campaign in our latest #WeLiveSecurity article. #ESET#ProgressProtected
The new payload also uses what the researcher calls “execution guardrails” — ensuring that the payload can only be decrypted on the intended victim’s machine, thereby avoiding unintended decryption by security researchers.
Kálnai said that one case that involved the new malware came from an attack on a Spanish aerospace firm when an employee received a message from a fake Meta recruiter named Steve Dawson in 2022.
Soon after, the hackers sent over the two simple coding challenges embedded with the malware.
The initial contact by the attacker impersonating a recruiter from Meta. Source: WeLiveSecurity.
Cyberespionage was the main motivation behind Lazarus Group’s attack on the Spain-based aerospace firm, he added.
In September 2022, cybersecurity firm SentinelOne warned of a fake job scam on LinkedIn, offering potential victims a job at Crypto.com as part of a campaign dubbed “Operation Dream Job."
Meanwhile, the United Nations has beetrying to curtail North Korea’s cybercrime tactics at the international level — as it is understood North Korea is using the stolen funds to support its nuclear missile program.
The price of Bitcoin and Ethereum surged nearly 4% in just a 15-minute window, sparking bullish predictions for the remainder of October.
More than $70 million in crypto shorts were suddenly liquidated after a surprise jump in the price of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and other cryptocurrencies on Oct. 1.
According to data from TradingView, the sudden pump saw Bitcoin surge 3% in just 15 minutes from $27,100 to $28,053 before settling down just below the $28,000 mark at the time of publication.
Similarly, the price of Ethereum’s native currency Ether also surged, gaining as much as 4.7% in a brief spike to $1,755 before leveling out to $1,727 at the time of publication.
The sudden movement has left most in the community scratching their heads. Many commentators said the move aligned with the arrival of “Uptober.”
Welcome to Uptober.
Welcome to Q4, which is leading towards a great quarter, potentially fueled by ETF approvals and the pre-halving rally.
Other community members suggested that “someone knows something” that others don’t.
Uptober is crypto parlance for October typically being a bullish month for the price action of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. According to data from CoinGlass, October has only produced negative monthly returns twice since 2013.
Bitcoin monthly returns since 2013. Source: Coinglass.
Meanwhile, while those holding spot and long positions may have celebrated the first significant price action in over a month, short sellers have had the opposite luck.
The rapid uptick saw $70 million in short positions liquidated in just two hours.
More than $70 million worth of shorts were liquidated in the last 2 hours. Source: Coinglass
According to data from Coinglass, nearly $36 million worth of BTC shorts and $23 million worth of ETH shorts were “rekt” by the sudden price move.
Bubblemaps, CoinScan, Hinkal Protocol, and Mythic Protocol are among the latest crypto and blockchain funding deals.
Crypto startups keep raising capital despite tight liquidity and adverse macroeconomic conditions. September saw major developments in the space, such as Farmville co-creator Amitt Mahajan raising $33 million to create Web3 games, and Animoca Brands disclosing $20 million capital gathered to push forward the development of its Mocaverse platform.
In another related development, Blockchain Capital closed two new funds in September, with $580 million to be deployed in crypto gaming and decentralized finance projects in the coming months. Cointelegraph’s VC roundup showcases the latest projects raising capital despite the market’s long downward trend.
Bubblemaps secures $3.2M for data visualization
Data visualization startup Bubblemaps secured 3 million euros ($3.2 million) in a seed funding round spearheaded by INCE Capital. According to the startup, the funding will be used to grow its team, recruit additional developers, and expand its social media marketing initiatives. Stake Capital, Momentum 6, Lbank, V3ntures, Nicolas Bacca of Ledger, Dyma Budorin of Hacken, and French entrepreneur Owen ‘Hasheur’ Simonin also contributed to the funding. The company has the ambitious goal of becoming the Google Analytics of Web3. Partnerships have reportedly been set up with Arbitrum, Polygon, Avalanche, and BNB Chain.
We're thrilled to share the closing of 2 new funds – our 6th early stage fund and 1st opportunity fund.
Together, they total $580 million and serve to reinforce our commitment to leading the global transition to decentralized, blockchain-based systems. ↓https://t.co/Vr2uYnGlF7
Crypto analytics platform CoinScan raised $6.3 million in September seeking to offer safety checks, holders and airdrop analysis, and social sentiment analysis across the crypto community. CoinScan is the first product from CryptoHub, a Web3 company focused on the blockchain economy and backed by DraftKings’ top individual shareholder and billionaire Shalom MecKenzie alongside investors from Playtech and, iAngels. “Crypto, much like sports betting, should give people the tools and data to make their own assessments about risk and reward,” said MecKenzie in a statement, claiming CoinScan will provide data pulled from multiple sources to provide charting insights.
Hinkal Protocol secures $4.1M to enhance privacy in DeFi trading
Privacy protocol Hinkal secured $4.1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Draper Associates. The protocol is designed to offer an advanced privacy layer, where transactions and assets across various decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols are shielded from public visibility, according to a statement. The round also saw participation from Psalion Hedge Fund, NGC Ventures, NoLimit Holdings, Draper Dragon, Peer VC, Orange DAO, Web3.com Ventures, and others. Draper Associates has invested in a range of tech companies, including Hotmail, Skype, Baidu, Tesla, SpaceX, Twitch, Cruise, Carta, Webflow, Robinhood, and Coinbase.
Mythic Protocol raises $6.5M seed round for collaborative entertainment
Mythic Protocol closed a $6.5M seed round co-led by Shima Capital’s Yida Gao alongside Alpha JWC, Saison Capital, GDP Ventures, and Planetarium Labs, among other investors. The team behind the project is working in a collaborative entertainment ecosystem that utilizes a game-first strategy to acquire, retain, and scale users. The funds will be deployed in the coming months to develop and launch the initial core offerings with a focus on gamers, creators, and investors. “With a founding team that has launched over 250 game titles since 2009 from one of the biggest gaming studios in SEA, we have no doubt that they will carry their track record of success into the next cycle of gaming,” said in a statement, Yida Gao, founder at Shima Capital.
Before you go: ConsenSys launches pre-accelerator program for Web3 founders
Technology company ConsenSys announced the launch of its pre-accelerator program, ConsenSys Fellowship, to support early-stage Web3 startups. The Fellowship goal is to help early-stage startups bridge the gap between an idea with potential and a functional business, product, or tool. The 12-week program will offer guided workshops, weekly curricula, mentorship and access to ConsenSys’ network to accelerate up to 15 startups. Fellowship teams will be eligible for follow-on investments from a $1.5 million fund.
Speaking at CNBC’s Delivering Alpha event, Jenny Johnson discussed how digital assets are disrupting securitization and the financial markets.
Securitization, a practice with over 50 years of history, is undergoing a dramatic transformation, believes Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton, one of the world’s largest asset managers.
During CNBC’s Delivering Alpha event, Johnson noted that tokenization — the process of converting asset ownership rights into digital tokens on a blockchain — is akin to “securitization done on steroids,” a term often used to describe something that exceeds expectations.
Johnson’s remarks were part of an analysis of the future of alternative investment vehicles. The executive noted that available capital and technology disruption have been attracting more companies and CEOs to invest in “things for the future,” like blockchain technology. Johnson said:
“One is it allows a payment mechanism. Number two, it allows smart contracts to be programmed into the token. And three, because it’s a general ledger, it has a source of truth. So whoever has that token, all rights in that token are granted to that person.”
Johnson used Rihanna as an example to illustrate her point of view. In February, the singer released one of its popular songs as a nonfungible token (NFT), allowing holders to partially earn royalties on streaming. “My favorite example is Rihanna,” she noted about the NFT collection launched just before the Super Bowl.
“I know she’s just testing the market in these 300 NFTs [...]. Well, why can she do that? She can do it because when Spotify plays a Rihanna song, it can capture the smart contract, execute and say: ‘I owe royalties here so nobody has to be involved in it.' And it can take the fractional payment and go to Frank, a big Rihanna fan.”
Athletes can also benefit from tokenization, according to Johnson:
“Think [about] athletes are going to sign a big contract. They’ll say to their fans 'I’m going to sell off tokens worth 10% of my future revenue stream. I’m going to sell 100,000 tokens and boom, the fans are probably going to pay a premium for it. So it will be a way and if you think about it, it’s just securitization done on steroids.”
1/ The Future is Tokenized Culture
Franklin Templeton’s Jenny Johnson nails it at CNBC ‘Delivering Alpha’.
- Tokenization = Securitization on Steroids
- Tokenization of Cultural IP via NFT Royalty Streams.
— Ram Ahluwalia, higher for longer crypto CFA (@ramahluwalia) September 30, 2023
Johnson has been with Franklin Templeton for more than 30 years and currently sits at the top of the company’s executive leadership as president and CEO. Franklin, a $1.5 trillion asset manager with offices across the world, is one of the companies waiting for regulatory approval in the United States for a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Bitcoin tends to rally in October, possibly opening the door for MKR, AAVE, RUNE, INJ and other altcoins.
After rising about 80% in the first two quarters of 2023, Bitcoin (BTC) fell roughly 11% in the third quarter ending September. However, there is a silver lining for the bulls because they managed a positive monthly close in September, the first since 2016.
Buyers will try to build upon this momentum in October, which has a bullish track record. According to CoinGlass data, only 2014 and 2018 have produced negative monthly returns since 2013 in October. There is no guarantee that history will repeat itself but the data can be used as a good starting point to formulate strategies by traders.
The recent strength in Bitcoin has also boosted interest in altcoins. Select altcoins are trying to break above their respective overhead resistance levels, indicating the start of a robust recovery. The bullish momentum could pick up further if Bitcoin extends its relief rally to $28,000.
Not all altcoins are expected to blast off to the upside. The cryptocurrencies that are showing strength are the ones that may lead the recovery higher. Let’s study the charts of the top-5 cryptocurrencies that could outperform in the near term.
Bitcoin price analysis
Bitcoin has been trading above the moving averages since Sep. 28, which is a positive sign. This shows that the advantage is gradually tilting in favor of the buyers.
The bears are trying to stall the rally near $27,500 but the bulls have not given up much ground. This shows that every minor dip is being purchased. This increases the odds of a break above $27,500. The BTC/USDT pair could then retest the crucial overhead resistance at $28,143. This level may again attract aggressive selling by the bears.
If the price turns down sharply from $28,143, the pair could retest the 20-day exponential moving average ($26,630). A strong bounce off this level could kick the price above $28,143. The pair may subsequently climb to $30,000.
This bullish view will be negated in the near term if the price turns down and dives below the solid support at $26,000.
BTC/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView
The 4-hour chart shows that the pair is taking support at the 20-EMA. This indicates that the bulls are trying to take charge. However, the bears are unlikely to give up easily and they will try to halt the recovery in the zone between $27,300 and $27,500. The sellers will then have to yank the price below the 20-EMA to seize control.
Conversely, if bulls pierce the overhead resistance at $27,500, it will pave the way for a possible rally to $28,143. This level may witness a tough battle between the buyers and sellers.
Maker price analysis
Maker (MKR) broke and closed above $1,370 on Sep. 26, indicating the start of a new uptrend. When an asset is in an uptrend, traders tend to buy on dips.
The bears tried to stall the up-move at $1,600 but the bulls purchased the dip at $1,432. This indicates that the sentiment remains positive and lower levels are being bought. If bulls propel the price above $1,600, the MKR/USDT pair could rally to $1,760 and then sprint to $1,909.
Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down sharply and skids below $1,432, it could make room for a retest of the breakout level at $1,370. The bears will have to yank the price below this support to indicate that the uptrend may be over.
MKR/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView
The 4-hour chart shows that the bears are fiercely protecting the overhead resistance at $1,600. If bulls want to keep their chances of continuing the uptrend alive, they will have to buy the dips to the 20-EMA.
If the price snaps back from the 20-EMA, the buyers will once again try to overcome the obstacle at $1,600 and start the next leg of the uptrend. Alternatively, a collapse to $1,432 and then to the 50-simple moving average may begin if the pair drops below the 20-EMA.
Aave price analysis
Aave (AAVE) is trying to break above the long-term downtrend line, indicating a potential trend change. The rebound off the 20-day EMA ($62.42) on Sep. 28 indicates a change in sentiment from selling on rallies to buying on dips.
The bears will try to stall the recovery at the downtrend line but if bulls do not allow the price to slip back below the 20-day EMA, it will increase the likelihood of a break above it. The AAVE/USDT pair could thereafter start an up-move toward $88.
The 20-day EMA is the important support to watch on the downside. If this level cracks, it will suggest that bears remain active at higher levels. That could pull the price down to the 50-day SMA ($58.82).
AAVE/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView
Both the upsloping 20-EMA and the relative strength index (RSI) near the overbought zone indicate that the bulls are in command. The rally may face selling at the downtrend line but the bulls will try to arrest the decline at the 20-EMA.
A strong rebound off the 20-EMA will open the doors for a possible rise above the downtrend line. The pair may first rally to $75 and next to $80. The bears will have to sink and sustain the price below the 20-EMA to break the tempo.
THORChain (RUNE) has reached the overhead resistance at $2 for the third time within the past few days. The repeated retest of a resistance level tends to weaken it.
RUNE/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView
If bulls do not give up much ground from the current level, it will improve the prospects of a rally above $2. If that happens, the RUNE/USDT pair could first rise to $2.28 and subsequently to $2.78.
This positive view will be invalidated in the near term if the price turns down and plunges below the moving averages. Such a move will suggest that the bulls have given up and the pair may then drop to $1.37.
RUNE/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView
The 4-hour chart shows that the bears are selling near the overhead resistance at $2 but a positive sign is that the bulls have not allowed the price to skid and sustain below the 20-EMA. This suggests that lower levels are attracting buyers.
If bulls push and maintain the price above $2, it will signal the start of a new uptrend. The pair could then surge toward $2.35. On the contrary, if the price turns down and breaks below the 20-EMA, it will indicate the start of a deeper correction to the 50-SMA.
Injective price analysis
Injective (INJ) has been swinging inside a large range between $5.40 and $10 for the past several days. The price action inside a range can be random and volatile but when the boundaries are far apart, trading opportunities may arise.
The moving averages have completed a bullish crossover and the RSI is in positive territory, indicating that bulls have the upper hand. The INJ/USDT pair could first rise to $8.28 where the bears may mount a strong resistance. If bulls overcome this barrier, the pair could pick up momentum and soar toward $10.
If bears want to prevent the upside, they will have to defend the overhead resistance and quickly drag the price below the moving averages. The pair could then retest the immediate support at $6.36.
INJ/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView
Both moving averages are sloping up on the 4-hour chart and the RSI is in the overbought territory, suggesting that the bulls have a slight edge. The rally could reach $8.28 which is likely to act as a strong hurdle.
On the downside, the first support is at the 20-EMA. A bounce off this level will indicate that the uptrend remains intact. Contrarily, a break below the 20-EMA will signal that the bulls are booking profits. That may pull the price down to the 50-SMA.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
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Microsoft is forming a new team of professionals to advance its artificial intelligence plans with Small Modular Reactors and microreactors.
Tech giant Microsoft is apparently forming a new team to advance its artificial intelligence plans by hiring a professional to develop an energy strategy based on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and microreactor energy.
According to a job post reported by The Verge, Microsoft is looking for a principal program manager who will lead its nuclear technology efforts to support the development of AI models.
“The next major wave of computing is being born, as the Microsoft Cloud turns the world’s most advanced AI models into a new computing platform,” according to a quote from Microsoft’s chairman and CEO Satya Nadella available in the job description.
The ideal candidate must have at least six years of experience in the nuclear industry, engineering, or energy market, reads the post, which is currently closed to applications. The position will also be responsible for exploring other experimental energy technologies.
Complex machine learning models, like deep learning, can consume a significant amount of energy for several reasons, including complex computations and large volumes of data. A study published in 2019 by the MIT Technology Review found that training a single AI model can emit as much carbon in the atmosphere as five cars in their lifetimes.
The estimated cost of training AI models. Source: MIT Technology Review
A few ways to reduce the energy consumption of AI models involve developing more efficient algorithms and hardware, as well as using renewable energy sources for data centers, such as nuclear power.
According to the U.S. Office of Nuclear Energy, one of the main advantages of nuclear power is that it produces zero carbon emissions and doesn’t emit other greenhouse gases. However, researchers at Stanford University argue that this energy source isn’t a solution to environmental problems, since it has a long-time lag between planning and operation, a large carbon footprint, and meltdown risks.
The Ethereum co-founder proposes a solution that could lower the likelihood of any individual liquid staking provider growing to a point where it poses a systemic risk.
Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, has expressed worries regarding decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) exerting a monopoly over the selection of node operators in liquidity staking pools.
In a September 30 blog post, Buterin issues a warning that as staking pools adopt the DAO approach for governance over node operators—who are ultimately responsible for the pool's funds—it can expose them to potential risks from malicious actors.
“With the DAO approach, if a single such staking token dominates, that leads to a single, potentially attackable governance gadget controlling a very large portion of all Ethereum validators.”
Buterin highlights the liquid staking provider Lido (LDO) as an example with a DAO that validates node operators. However, he emphasizes that relying on just one layer of protection may prove insufficient:
“To the credit of protocols like Lido, they have implemented safeguards against this, but one layer of defense may not be enough,” he noted.
ETH staked by category chart. Source: Vitalik Buterin
Meanwhile, he explains that Rocket Pool offers the opportunity for anyone to become a node operator by placing an 8 Ether (ETH) deposit, which, at the time of this publication, is equivalent to approximately $13,406.
However, he notes this comes with its risks. "The Rocket Pool approach allows attackers to 51% attack the network, and force users to pay most of the costs," he stated.
On the other hand, Buterin emphasizes that each one must incorporate a mechanism for determining who can serve as the underlying node operators:
"It can't be unrestricted, because then attackers would join and amplify their attacks with users' funds."
Buterin highlights that a possible approach to address this issue involves encouraging ecosystem participants to utilize a variety of liquid staking providers.
He clarifies this would decrease the likelihood of any one provider becoming excessively large and posing a systemic risk.
“In the longer term, however, this is an unstable equilibrium, and there is peril in relying too much on moralistic pressure to solve problems," he stated.
