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Hackers Using Monero Mining Malware as Decoy, Warns Microsoft

Crypto-jacking is giving nation-state hackers a decoy for their more malicious attacks, Microsoft cautioned in a report.

Updated Sep 14, 2021, 10:36 a.m. Published Dec 1, 2020, 6:15 p.m.
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Crypto-jacking is giving nation-state hackers a decoy for their more malicious attacks, warned Microsoft in a Monday report.

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The company's intelligence team said a group called BISMUTH hit government targets in France and Vietnam with relatively conspicuous monero mining trojans this summer. Mining the crypto generated side cash for the group, but it also distracted victims from BISMUTH's true campaign: credential theft.

Crypto-jacking "allowed BISMUTH to hide its more nefarious activities behind threats that may be perceived to be less alarming because they’re 'commodity' malware," Microsoft concluded. It said the conspicuousness of monero mining fits BISMUTH's "hide in plain sight" MO.

Microsoft recommended organizations stay vigilant against crypto-jacking as a possible decoy tactic.

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Protocol Research: GoPlus Security

GP Basic Image

Bilinmesi gerekenler:

  • 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.

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Coinbase Reopens India Signups, Targets Fiat On-Ramp in 2026 After Two-Year Freeze

Coinbase (appshunter.io/Unsplash/Modified by CoinDesk)

Coinbase halted services entirely in 2023, off-boarded millions of Indian users and shuttered local access while reassessing regulatory exposure.

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  • Coinbase has resumed onboarding users in India, marking its return to the market after a two-year hiatus due to regulatory issues.
  • The exchange is currently allowing crypto-to-crypto trading and plans to reintroduce fiat on-ramps next year.
  • Despite regulatory challenges, Coinbase is investing in India, including increasing its stake in local exchange CoinDCX.