Security News > 2021 > June > Cryptomining malware up, financial malware down in Q1 2021, Kaspersky finds
The first report, detailing desktop attacks, found that cryptomining malware has exploded in popularity, while the second report covering mobile devices, revealed that a popular Trojan targeting gamers has made the leap from PC to Android.
Between February and March 2021, during which time the price of a single bitcoin increased by more than $10,000, the number of modified cryptomining malware found by Kaspersky experienced a similar jump with a fourfold increase over the course of the same time period.
Interestingly enough, financial malware that aims to steal malware has decreased over the course of 2021, continuing a trend from 2020.
On the mobile side, financial malware also experienced a dip in popularity, with a decrease in the number of installers detected falling from 42,115 in Q1 2020 to 25,314 in Q1 2021.
While popular on Windows PCs for some time, this is the first time that Kaspersky notes similar malware being found on Android devices.
Many types of cryptomining malware sneak in through "Riskware," which Kaspersky describes as legitimate programs that themselves have vulnerabilities that give attackers a way in.