A new report shared by Google'due south Threat Analysis Group (TAG) highlights an ongoing phishing entrada confronting YouTube creators, typically resulting in the compromise and auction of channels to broadcast cryptocurrency scams.

TAG attributed the attacks to a group of hackers recruited in a Russian-speaking forum that hacks the creator's channel by offer fake collaboration opportunities. One time hijacked, the YouTube channels are either sold to the highest bidder or used to broadcast cryptocurrency scams:

"A big number of hijacked channels were rebranded for cryptocurrency scam alive-streaming. On account-trading markets, hijacked channels ranged from $3 USD to $four,000 USD depending on the number of subscribers."

The YouTube accounts are reportedly being hacked using cookie theft malware, a fake software configured to run on a victim's computer without beingness detected. TAG also reported that the hackers also inverse the names, profile pictures and content of the YouTube channels to impersonate large tech or cryptocurrency exchange firms.

According to Google, "The attacker live-streamed videos promising cryptocurrency giveaways in exchange for an initial contribution." The company has invested in tools to detect and block phishing and social technology emails, cookie theft hijacking and crypto-scam alive streams as a countermeasure.

Given the ongoing efforts, Google has managed to subtract the volume of Gmail phishing emails by 99.6% since May 2022. "With increased detection efforts, nosotros've observed attackers shifting away from Gmail to other email providers (more often than not email.cz, seznam.cz, mail.cz and aol.com)," the visitor added.

Google has shared the in a higher place findings with the Us Federal Bureau of Investigation for further investigation.

Related: CoinMarketCap hack reportedly leaks 3.1 one thousand thousand user electronic mail addresses

Over 3.one one thousand thousand (3,117,548) user email addresses were reportedly leaked from crypto price-tracking website CoinMarketCap.

As Cointelegraph reported, Have I Been Pwned — a website dedicated to tracking online hacks — found the hacked email addresses beingness traded and sold online on diverse hacking forums.

CoinMarketCap acknowledged the correlation of the leaked data with its userbase but maintains that no evidence of a hack has been found on their internal servers:

"As no passwords are included in the data we have seen, we believe that information technology is nigh likely sourced from another platform where users may accept reused passwords across multiple sites."