QNAP warns users about dangerous new Dovecat malware

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Taiwanese storage manufacturer QNAP has warned users about a malware strain that consumes large amounts of CPU and memory to mine cryptocurrency without the owner's consent. Reports of Dovecat malware infecting QNAP devices have been circulating for a few months now, but the manufacturer has just released a new security advisory. It appears that QNAP Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices are at risk of infection if they are protected by weak user passwords. The Dovecat malware can run on any Linux device, but it appears to have been specifically designed to infect QNAP NAS devices. Although malware may be more commonly associated with stealing credentials or disrupting essential functions, a new type of Bitcoin miner malware has gained popularity of late as the value of cryptocurrencies has risen. increases. In fact, observations of crypto mining malware increased by 53% in the fourth quarter of last year.

Mining malware

In response to Dovecat's discovery, QNAP offered users detailed advice on how best to minimize the risk of infection. This includes updating QTS to the latest version, installing a firewall, bypassing default port numbers, and adhering to NAS security best practices. QNAP users initially noticed something was wrong with their NAS device when they detected two processes, Dovecat and dedpma, that were constantly running and consuming large amounts of resources. The company released a support message in November confirming that both processes were associated with bitcoin mining malware. The Dovecat infection is not the first time QNAP has been targeted by a malicious campaign. Previously, the storage company had to warn users about the QSnatch malware and multiple ransomware attempts. Through a computer on hold