[xchaotic]

This point to an actual use of the cryptocurrency - exploiting a 0 day against someone who might have a crypto wallet means you can actually directly make money off exploits. Prior to crypto, having a 0 day wasn't equal with ability to make blackhat money with it...

[vageli]

> This point to an actual use of the cryptocurrency - exploiting a 0 day against someone who might have a crypto wallet means you can actually directly make money off exploits. Prior to crypto, having a 0 day wasn't equal with ability to make blackhat money with it...

Why would that be the case when it is not illegal to sell exploits?

[rocqua]

Selling exploits requires credibility, escrow, and deep contacts. Selling bitcoin is a lot easier.

[vageli]

Ah so you mean leveraging the exploit for financial gain by using it (ransomware) versus selling. That makes a ton of sense!

[mnbvkhgvmj]

Banking malware has existed for a while.

[fsh]

Banking has insurance against fraud and transactions are generally reversible.

[mnbvkhgvmj]

> transactions are generally reversible

Not really. If your account is compromised you may indeed get your money back from the bank's insurance (although in some countries that is less likely than others). However, the criminal behind the malware will probably have got at least some of the money.

International transfers are not generally reversible. Cash withdrawals are not reversible. Even electronic transfers to another bank in the same country (maybe this varies by country) are only reversible if the money has not been withdrawn.

And then there have been cases of actual bank systems being compromised so that criminals can just increase the balance of accounts directly.. And cashpoints (atms) being compromised.

[ufmace]

At the very least, it's a lot harder for criminals to cash out of compromised bank accounts in a way that doesn't lead law enforcement directly to them.