Doing something without a user’s knowledge or consent already crosses an ethical line, but many of these cryptojacking campaigns take things a step further and abuse significant amounts of their victims’ resources. These power-sucking attacks make it difficult for the targets to accomplish tasks on their computers and sometimes cause more serious problems. Cryptojacking involves using either malware or a browser-based approach to mine cryptocurrency with the computers or devices of others. The unsuspecting victims don’t end up with wallets full of coins – instead, the cryptocurrency reaped goes straight back to the person who initiated the cryptojacking campaign. However, our suggestion is to avoid a purpose-built solution and look for a more comprehensive cybersecurity program.
How do entities mine cryptocurrency on the computers or devices of their targets?
If the test comes back affirmative and a website is cryptojacking your resources, all you have to do is close the site to make it stop. In more extreme cases, you may notice the fan kicking in or the device overheating. However, there can What is cryptojacking be a bunch of other causes for this, such as different types of malware, so the diagnosis isn’t so straightforward. If this article has filled you with fear of a new threat, you may be wondering, “What if I’m being cryptojacked right now?
Signs you’ve been infected with a cryptojacker
In some cases, the cryptojacking software is binary-based and the targets need to download and execute it before it will start mining. This means that simply visiting certain sites can potentially lead to cryptojacking. You might think, “Why use my phone and its relatively minor processing power? ” But when these attacks happen en masse, the greater number of smartphones out there adds up to a collective strength worth the cryptojackers’ attention.
What is Cryptomining?
- More sophisticated attackers will make their own versions, or tweak previous cryptojacking software so that it suits their mode of attack better.
- People earn cryptocurrency by using their computers to either solve or verify the solutions to math problems.
- Certain instances of cryptojacking can be viewed as legitimate revenue-makers for websites, however, the vast majority of cases involve deceit or worse, and the practice is generally looked at unfavorably.
- While you’re at it, search for any other changes the attackers may have made and reverse any that you find.
This inefficiency drove the need for a different kind of blockchain, the Ethereum network. There are hundreds of cryptocurrencies, and each has its own coin or token. Each cryptocurrency was invented to solve a problem its creators felt other cryptocurrencies did not adequately address. One way of simplifying the vast array of cryptocurrencies is by focusing on the platforms used to make them.
With that in mind, there are two main types of cryptojacking — via fake web content and via malicious links — and both rely on unsuspecting targets leaving their smart devices vulnerable to cybercrimes. Growing mining competition and high electricity costs mean the cost of mining can outweigh the profits. Immutable cloud infrastructure like container instances that are compromised with coin miners can also be handled simply, by shutting down infected container instances and starting fresh. However, organizations must dig into the root causes that led to the container compromise in the first place. This means looking for signs that the container dashboard and credentials have been compromised and examining connected cloud resources for signs of compromise.
Cryptojackers and the future of cryptojacking
Malwarebytes Premium, for example, protects you from more than just cryptojacking. Whether attackers try to use malware, a browser-based drive-by download, or a Trojan (like Emotet), you’re protected against cryptojacking. An alternative cryptojacking approach is sometimes called drive-by cryptomining.
