Sextortion Spyware: Webcam Pics Snapped During Porn Viewing
▼ Summary
– Sextortion-based hacking has evolved from a manual crime to an automated feature in spyware that targets users browsing pornography.
– The malware, Stealerium, is an open-source infostealer that captures sensitive data like banking details, passwords, and crypto wallet keys.
– It screenshots pornographic browser tabs and takes webcam photos of victims, sending these images to hackers for blackmail purposes.
– Security firm Proofpoint identified Stealerium in multiple cybercriminal campaigns and highlighted its severe privacy invasion.
– Stealerium is freely available on GitHub, with its developer claiming it is for educational purposes only.
A particularly invasive form of cybercrime has evolved, with new spyware now automating the process of capturing compromising images during private moments. This malicious software, known as Stealerium, represents a disturbing shift in digital extortion tactics. Rather than relying on manual intervention, the program actively monitors a user’s online activity, waiting for specific adult content keywords to appear in the browser. Once detected, it simultaneously takes a screenshot of the screen and activates the webcam to photograph the victim, compiling both images for blackmail purposes.
Security researchers at Proofpoint recently analyzed this open-source information-stealing malware, which has been actively deployed in multiple cybercriminal campaigns since May. Like other infostealers, Stealerium harvests a wide range of sensitive data, including banking credentials, login information, and cryptocurrency keys. What sets it apart is its targeted, automated voyeurism, designed to gather deeply personal material without the victim’s knowledge.
One of the researchers involved in the analysis, Selena Larson, emphasized the severity of this privacy violation. Infostealers typically grab whatever data they can access, but this variant deliberately seeks out intimate moments, compounding the potential harm. Larson described the feature as “gross” and expressed strong disapproval of its invasive design.
Proofpoint identified Stealerium in tens of thousands of emails distributed by several hacker groups, including two smaller operations they monitor. Ironically, the malware is freely available on GitHub as an open-source project. Its developer, using the alias witchfindertr and claiming to be a London-based malware analyst, states that the tool is intended for educational use only, a disclaimer that does little to mitigate its harmful real-world applications.
(Source: Ars Technica)
