Microsoft Is Trying to Make 'Cryware' a Thing
Microsoft couldn’t help itself. The company is trying to coin a new cybersecurity term to describe malware that targets cryptocurrency wallets. Meet cryware.
Microsoft introduced(Opens in a new window) the term on Tuesday while talking up a malware threat that’s been focused on stealing cryptocurrencies. “Cryware are information stealers that collect and exfiltrate data directly from non-custodial cryptocurrency wallets, also known as hot wallets,” the company wrote in a blog post. These hot wallets can remain online and are directly controlled by the user, instead of a third party, such as a cryptocurrency exchange.
Microsoft’s goal is to warn users to be on guard against the malware threat. But the term cryware is already causing some in the cybersecurity community to roll their eyes. “Marketing departments are out of control,” tweeted(Opens in a new window) cybersecurity journalist Kim Zetter.
Others are pointing out the threat is nothing new; malware that can steal information about cryptocurrency wallets from user devices has been around for years. “Please stop making up new malware classifications. It's confusing enough for many as it is,” wrote(Opens in a new window) Lawrence Abrams, Editor in Chief at BleepingComputer.
On Twitter, Avast security researcher Martin Hron added(Opens in a new window): “Yep, this is an example of squeezing a last drop from the topic...adding no value. We don't have anything to publish this week? Let's coin some new term.”
It’s not the first time the cybersecurity community has invented a new term to describe crypto-related computer threats. In 2017, for example, security researchers coined the term cryptojacking to describe services or malware that can secretly mine
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