Share this article
Crypto Price Tracker Poses Malware Threat for Macs: Report
A legitimate-looking cryptocurrency price tracker app may also be monitoring users' keystrokes, according to Malwarebytes.
By Nikhilesh De
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 8:32 a.m. Published Oct 31, 2018, 2:15 a.m.
A cryptocurrency ticker application called CoinTicker appears to be installing two backdoors on Apple Macs, cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes warned Monday.
The app downloads and installs parts of two different pieces of malware – EvilOSX and EggShell – both of which are backdoor applications that can be used to log keystrokes, steal data or execute certain commands. Malwarebytes director of Mac and Mobile Thomas Reed wrote that it is possible the malware was designed to steal cryptocurrency keys.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
CoinTicker acts as a legitimate application designed to present the price of a selected cryptocurrency on request. The user installing the app can choose between bitcoin, ethereum, monero, zcash and others, according to a screenshot. However, the app also installs EvilOSX and EggShell in the background.
The app does not require root or other elevated permissions, meaning the user likely will not see any sign of infection.
It's unclear what specifically the app's creators want, but Reed noted that "it seems likely that the malware is meant to gain access to users' cryptocurrency wallets for the purpose of stealing coins."
The fact that the malware is distributed through a cryptocurrency app supports this theory, he wrote.
Malwarebytes for Mac now looks for the CoinTicker app, as well as its malware components, he added.
MacBook Pro image via blackzheep / Shutterstock
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
Federal Reserve Cuts Rates 25 Basis Points, With Two Voting for Steady Policy
The anticipated move comes as policymakers are still operating without several key economic data releases that remain delayed or suspended due to the U.S. government shutdown.
What to know:
- As expected, the Federal Reserve trimmed its benchmark fed funds rate range by 25 basis points on Wednesday afternoon.
- Today's cut is notable given the unusually large amount of public dissension among Fed members for further monetary ease.
- Two Fed members dissented from the rate cut, preferring instead to hold rates steady, while one member voted for a 50 basis point rate cut.
Top Stories
