The Bitcoin Heist: Not the First, Not the Last « Speaking of Security – The RSA Blog and Podcast
With the ability to play completely anonymously with e-currency (thanks to the infrastructure that was established to support the underground trading) targeting e-currency services became a great way for making a quick buck. Fraudsters are already targeting other fraudsters, trying to infect each other with malware and rip off one another – what’s stopping them from putting their hand into their peer’s pocket and stealing his e-wallet? Since opening new empty e-currencies accounts is relatively simple, all a fraudster had to do is to open a new account, log into a compromised e-currency account of a fellow fraudster and run away with all his cash. From there, he could transfer the funds to other accounts in order to mask his trail and then simply use the same method to cash the money out as he does with the money he earns from selling underground goods.
