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USB infection campaign delivering XMRig miners

Campaign
First reported
Last updated
Happening score
H score 34
1 unique sources, 1 articles

Summary

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An ongoing USB infection campaign has used compromised drives to infect hosts and deploy cryptocurrency miners since September 2024, keeping removable-media delivery an active initial-access risk. The chain starts when a victim opens a Windows shortcut (LNK) that launches a VBScript and then a batch script. The operation matters because it bypasses normal network controls and ends in the deployment of XMRig for mining.

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Timeline

  1. 21.08.2025 19:25 1 articles · 9mo ago

    USB infection campaign delivers XMRig miners

    Campaign Scope Update

    Researchers described an ongoing USB-drive infection campaign that has been active since September 2024 and uses compromised removable media to infect hosts, starting with a Windows shortcut (LNK) that launches a VBScript and batch script chain before dropping DIRTYBULK, CUTFAIL, HIGHREPS, PUMPBENCH, and XMRig for cryptocurrency mining.

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