IoT cryptomining exploits on the rise

December 2018 McAfee Labs threat report shows sharp increase in malware targeting IoT devices, which can then be used for cryptomining exploits IoT malware threats have increased from just over 5,000 in Q4 2016 to over 45,000 incidents detected in Q3 2018. IoT threats may target any kind of connected hardware including routers, smart devices, webcams and more, and according to McAfee, are generally directed toward Linux-based systems. IoT devices have been used in the past by malicious actors in DDoS attacks, such as the massive 2016 Mirai malware attack that affected millions of users of applications including Twitter, Spotify, PayPal. However due to their low processing capabilities, they have largely been discounted as a potential source of cryptomining power.