NEWS

A Mac OS X Trojan called DevilRobber is stealing Bitcoin tokens and plundering people's personal details, researchers have found.

DevilRobber hijacks a user's video card to generate Bitcoins, a type of virtual currency with its own exchange rate. The Trojan was found by the antivirus developer Intego, which spotted it being bundled with apps on torrent sites.

The malware hides inside a downloaded app and is able to switch off Little Snitch, a tool commonly used by torrent users that acts as a gatekeeper for internet connections. Once DevilRobber has a clear path, hackers have a back door to the user's computer and can steal their Bitcoins. Moreover, DevilRobber can jack into the video card on every infected computer and generate brand new Bitcoins, which the hackers can then exchange for real money.

For more on this ZDNet UK-selected story, see Mac OS X trojan uses your Mac to mint Bitcoins for hackers on CNET UK.