What is Cryptojacking & How Can You Prevent It?

비트코인 채굴 및 암호화폐 블로그  .  2023.04.07

What is Cryptojacking & How Can You Prevent It?

Cryptojacking is on the rise, but there are ways to protect yourself. Find out what cryptojacking is, how it works, and what you can do to stop it. Learn more.

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As digital currencies are growing in popularity and being accepted these days, cryptojacking has become one of the most common cybersecurity threats in recent years, with cybercriminals abusing individuals' computational resources to mine cryptos without their knowledge or consent. This unlawful practice not only drains the resources of unaware victims, but it also blenches one's personal data and privacy. In this blog post, we'll look at what cryptojacking is, how it works, and, most importantly, how to prevent it. By learning about it and taking the necessary security measures, you can safeguard your devices and personal information from this growing threat.

What is cryptojacking?

Cryptojacking, also known as malicious cryptomining, is a type of cybercrime. One party’s computing resources are hijacked to mine crypto assets, which enables hackers mining cryptos without having to pay for the electricity, hardware and other resources required for mining. Cryptojacking is similar to other types of malware attacks and so are its prevention techniques, and can occur on both a computer and mobile device.

How does cryptojacking work?

A hacker typically installs malicious software on the victim's device, such as a virus or malware, which then leverages the device's processing capacity to solve complex math puzzles and generate new cryptocurrency units. The hacker is paid a part of the crypto created by the victim's device, which is then sent to their own digital wallet.

Cryptojacking malware frequently infects devices via phishing and can embed itself in webpages to run on the victim's web browser. Unlike other malware that can corrupt or delete victims' data, cryptojackers target a large number of victims with a tiny amount of processing power. This malware runs in the background, quietly redirecting victims' processing power to perform illicit cryptomining tasks. Because it is not easy to spot, this cybercrime can affect a wide range of devices, from ordinary users to government entities all around the world.

Types of cryptojacking

According to the IT and cyber security communities, there are two main types of cryptojacking: browser-based and host-based.

Browser cryptojacking

Browser cyrptojacking Occurs when a victim hits a website that contains embedded cryptomining JavaScript code. This code executes cryptomining software on the victim's web browser without their knowledge or consent, redirecting their processing power to cryptomining tasks. Browser-based cryptojacking can occur through compromised websites, programmatic advertising, or pop-up ads.

Host cryptojacking

Host cryptojacking operates like a standard phishing or malware attack. Victims are tricked into clicking on seemingly harmless websites that install crypto mining software on their machines. This kind of attack can occur in multiple ways, including phishing attacks, malware, and exploiting vulnerabilities in open source code, APIs, cloud storage, and software supply chains. Once installed on a victim's device, the cryptomining software leverages their computing power to make profits.

How to Detect Cryptojacking?

It can be challenging to detect cryptojacking since the malware is designed to run silently in the background without being detected. However, we have compiled a few signs from cyber security specialists that you can use on a daily basis. One such sign is a noticeable drop in device performance, since the malware consumes a substantial amount of computing power to mine cryptos. You may also notice a sudden spike in your electricity bills because crypto mining requires a significant amount of energy. Another indicator is an increase in device temperature, which occurs when the virus causes the device to work harder and generate more heat. On top of that, you may use some antivirus software working for you, but don’t rely on a single standard anti-virus tools or scanning software.

Overall, if your devices work harder than they should, it could be an indication of a variety of attacks. A sudden drop in performance should be viewed as a red flag for further infection investigation.

How to Prevent Cryptojacking?

Cryptojacking is a serious threat to computer systems that might be difficult to detect. However, you can take a few precautions to limit the potential of being compromised with your network and computers.

  1. Keep your operating system and software up to date with the most recent security patches, as these typically contain fixes for known vulnerabilities that fraudsters can exploit.
  2. Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading files from unfamiliar sources because they may install cryptojacking malware on your devices. Ad-blockers and anti-cryptojacking browser extensions, as well as a good VPN, can be used to block websites and ads that contain cryptojacking scripts.
  3. Make sure to always download apps from their official website because there are many pirate softwares that pose as brands and install viruses on the backend of your device, including cryptojacking malware.
  4. Use antivirus softwares to detect and remove any cryptojacking malware from your device.
  5. Get help from your network administrators because they can assist in the implementation of firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor network traffic and detect any efforts at cryptojacking

Choose Bitdeer as your secure mining partner

Here at Bitdeer, we've taken extraordinary measures to safeguard our data center facilities, devices, and network from all types of security threats, including cryptojacking. Among some of the measures are:

  • Have a unified policy in place to ensure that all operating systems and software are updated on a regular basis, preventing vulnerabilities from being exploited.
  • Have anti-virus software and computer network activity monitoring in place to detect and network isolate questionable applications and links.
  • Use network isolation to limit east-west propagation.
  • Our Security Operation Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to manage any security concerns that may arise.

We make every effort to provide our users with a safe and secure environment in which they can mine with confidence. Join us today!


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DISCLAIMER

*Information provided in this article is for general information and reference only and does not constitute nor is intended to be construed as any advertisement, professional advice, offer, solicitation, or recommendation to deal in any product. No guarantee, representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, is made as to the fairness, accuracy, timeliness, completeness or correctness of any information, or the future returns, performance or outcome of any product. Bitdeer expressly excludes any and all liability (to the extent permitted by applicable law) in respect of the information provided in this article, and in no event shall Bitdeer be liable to any person for any losses incurred or damages suffered as a result of any reliance on any information in this article.