Crypto Dev Teams Targeted: Criminals are Using InfoStealers to Target Devs

5 min readNov 10, 2024

Beware of Scams Targeting Development Teams: Protect Your Code, Protect Your Business

In a recent scam, a development team received a lucrative request: to build a high-value product. But there was a catch — before they could be hired, they had to complete a preliminary test task. Following instructions, the team downloaded a project from Bitbucket, only to find a malicious surprise embedded within the files — a “stealer” malware. This is just one example of the types of threats developers face in an increasingly digital workspace. For teams that don’t utilize advanced protective solutions like Warden, the risks of such threats continue to grow.

What is a Stealer?

A “stealer” is a type of malware that silently extracts sensitive data from a victim’s system. Stealers target information such as cryptocurrency wallets, browser-stored passwords, and other personal credentials, aiming to compromise both personal and organizational security. In many cases, stealers are cleverly hidden within seemingly legitimate files, and they often rely on obfuscated or hexadecimal-encoded strings, only revealing their malicious intent once executed.

In this instance, the application immediately transmitted collected data to a remote server and installed a backdoor on the team’s computer, exposing their system to further unauthorized access. The attacker had even embedded their IP address — 138.201.199.46 — as the destination for the stolen information, a significant oversight that helped the team identify and assess the threat.

For more on stealer malware, refer to this Cyber Strategy Institute article.

Why Warden is Essential for Developer Security

Teams that don’t use protective solutions like Warden remain vulnerable to these kinds of attacks, particularly as social engineering tactics grow increasingly sophisticated. Warden offers a unique layer of security through its Default Deny technology, which blocks unauthorized applications and scripts from running without explicit permission. By creating a virtualized execution environment, Warden prevents potentially dangerous code from accessing sensitive data or executing harmful actions on a system.

Additionally, Warden’s Kernel API Virtualization offers protection at a deeper level, isolating suspicious code from core system processes. This prevents stealers and other malware from collecting and transmitting sensitive information, effectively neutralizing the threat before it can cause damage. For developers, Warden’s robust monitoring and network isolation capabilities mean that unknown or malicious code is automatically flagged, contained, and prevented from reaching sensitive systems.

Protecting Yourself and Your Team

If you’re not using a solution like Warden, following these best practices can help you avoid falling victim to scams targeting development teams:

Analyze Code Thoroughly
Avoid cloning or executing unverified code, especially on environments connected to core systems. Ideally, test unfamiliar code in a virtual machine or isolated sandbox environment.
Enhance Personal Security
Regularly audit communication channels and disable auto-downloads in messaging apps. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) and be aware of common threats like SIM-swapping.
Stay Informed
Continuously educate yourself and your team on security best practices. Refer to trusted sources like cybersecurity blogs, articles, and tools that offer insights on recent malware trends and threats.

Conclusion

Imagine your team faced with a new project, excited by a high-value opportunity. Now imagine the shock of discovering that the test project you eagerly downloaded contained hidden malware — a stealer designed to siphon off sensitive data and install a backdoor, potentially exposing your entire development ecosystem.

Could you or your team have caught this threat as quickly? Without dedicated, around-the-clock monitoring, even experienced teams can miss well-hidden threats like this. So, ask yourself: do you want your team constantly on edge, dissecting every line of code for potential threats? Or would you rather let Warden do the heavy lifting, so you can focus on building impactful products while Warden handles security?

Warden’s Default Deny technology and Kernel API Virtualization don’t just detect threats — they proactively block and isolate malicious code before it has the chance to infiltrate your systems. With Warden, you get peace of mind and confidence that your security is fully covered, allowing you and your team to focus on what truly matters: creating, building, and innovating.

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Further Resources about Cyber Strategy Institute:

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Warden

It is designed leveraging a Zero Trust model, stopping all known bad and unknown malicious threats. This starts by defending at the kernel level, so that any software does not know it’s been placed into a sandbox. We call this the “Inception Protection” model, which will not allow any program to impact your systems. No other system can do this on the market today. Protect your digital life, your families or your organization today with Warden!

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