Erbium: A malware disguised as game cracks and cheats can steal your passwords, credit cards and more

There is a new information-stealing malware making the rounds on the Internet. Erbium is a new Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) which has been disguised as game cracks and cheats to enter the computer systems of potential victims. The malware is running as a subscription service as it offers customers access to stolen data and passwords.

Passwords, credit cards, and crypto-wallets stolen

The malware can also steal from cryptocurrency wallets. Erbium’s existence was first reported by the team at Cluster25. There is a new, more detailed report about Erbium from Cyfirma. Erbium functions as a subscription service with customer support and it is offering its services at a substantially lower price than RedLine, which has been the go-to malware until now. Known infections of Erbium are spread across the world including the USA, Spain, France, Colombia, Italy, India, Vietnam and Malaysia. 

The new report explains how the Erbium malware is being distributed. Along with passwords, Erbium also steals cookies, credit cards and autofill information stored in web browsers. Crypto wallets are also emptied through the malware if they’re installed as extensions on a web browser. Wallets like Exodus, Atomic, Armory, Electrum, Bitecoin-Core, Bytecoin, Electron, Coinomi, Ethereum, Zcash, Litecoin-Core, Monero-Core, and Jaxx are wallets that are being stolen.

Erbium is also targeting two-factor authentication codes and is known to steal codes from Trezor Password Manager, Authenticator 2FA, EOS Authenticator and Authy 2FA. The malware can even grab screenshots from all forms of monitors. It can also steal Discord and Steam tokens. Authentication files on Telegram are also not safe from Erbium. Furthermore, Erbium can also create a profile of a victim based on their OS and hardware details. 

How to stay safe from malware on the internet

While Erbium is currently using game cracks and cheats as a way to infiltrate systems, it might change its distribution channels anytime if users of this malware want other ways to deploy Erbium. Regardless, next time you contemplate looking for cheats of a game or pirating a game or software, it’s best to avoid that risk. It’s also recommended that you scan all files you download from the internet using an Antivirus and only install software after running a scan. It’s also advised to keep your system updated with the latest security patches.