Though fairly common in today’s age, for many, Cryptojacking might still be a brand-new term. What is Cryptojacking? Is this a threat for all computer and internet users? How can we prevent falling victim to Cryptojacking? And many more such questions are common. Some of the most common concerns have been addressed below.

What happens in Cryptojacking?

Cryptojacking is the latest, most innovative, shape of cybercrime. These jackers will use your computer to mine cryptocurrencies maliciously. This can happen on both personal and business laptops, computers, and mobile devices. Cybercriminals hack into any of these devices to install software that uses the computer/laptop/smartphone’s resources and power to mine cryptocurrencies or steal wallets of unsuspecting victims. This is a grave threat as it is hard to detect and easy to deploy and run in the background. The main idea is using another computer and device’s resources to do crypto mining work for them and whatever earnings or steals they make from the hijacked computers, they siphon it into their own digital wallets. 

Cryptojacking Methods

There are three main methods cryptojackers can opt for to maliciously mine for cryptocurrencies. Let’s skim through them so you know how to better protect yourself against them.

Browser-based Cryptojacking

This happens when the hacker uses IT infrastructure to mine and attack directly within the web browser. They create a crypto mining script that is embedded into different websites. These scripts can be embedded into out-of-date WordPress plugins or ads where they run automatically while the code gets downloaded into the user’s computer. 

File-Based Cryptojacking

File-based cryptojacking starts from downloading malware that runs an executable file. A Cryptomining script is spread through this file all around the IT infrastructure. The most common way to do so is to spread malicious emails with links or attachments that look fairly legitimate for the user to click on them. If they click, the code is executed and downloads the crypto mining script to work in the background on the user’s computer without their knowledge.

Cloud Cryptojacking

Cloud Cryptojacking is used when a hacker searches for API keys through an organization’s code and files to gain access to their cloud services. They then gather unlimited CPU resources for crypto mining and this resultantly increases account costs quite significantly. Hackers illicitly mine for currencies using this method as it helps them accelerate at a much faster rate. 

How to detect Cryptojacking?

The crypto mining scripts generated by hackers can be very tricky to detect and locate, which is why you need a highly vigilant IT team at work 24/7 for your organization’s operation. Here are some common signs that will tell you something’s wrong before it’s too late and practices that can help you detect cryptojacking, look out for these!

Overheating

Just like any other intensive task, Cryptojacking involves resource processing that can heat your computing device quickly. Overheating will shorten the lifespan of your device and damage it immensely. Moreover, overheating means the fans in your devices will run longer than they should to keep the system cool and running.

Decreased performance

One of the major signs of cryptojacking is a decrease in the performance of your laptop, PC, mobile device, or tablet. If you observe an unexplained decrease in processing speed, immediately call an IT technician and get it checked. If you’re running an organization, educate all your employees about their cybersecurity and about signs and symptoms they need to report. 

Regular Website Checks

Regularly monitor your website and all its web pages to make sure there are no changes to the files and webpages on the web server. This is a great way to prevent a Cryptojacking attack.

Monitor CPU Usage

Analyze your CPU usage regularly by using a task manager or activity monitor. An unjustified increase in the CPU usage means there’s something fishy going on. Especially for a website that has little to no media content that could drive traffic. 

Protection against Cryptojacking?

Following are some recommendations from security experts on the prevention of Cryptojacking.

Maintain good security hygiene

Establish solid security hygiene to lower the risk of Cryptojacking as all such attackers are opportunists and always on the hunt for wear, vulnerable venue. Hackers run numerous exploits on websites and get through whenever there is a patch.

Web filtering

Keep your web filtering tools up to date and make sure your users are blocked from accessing a webpage that you identified delivering Cryptojacking scripts. 

Anti-crypto mining browser extensions

To coin the cash and deploy the Cryptojacking script, crypto-miner hooks into web browsers. You can use browser extensions to block such crypto miners. Browser extensions such as No Coin, minerBlock, and Anti Miner can be used. 

Disable JavaScript and enabling Ad-Blockers

Disabling JavaScript when browsing online will protect Cryptojacking code from infecting your device. And, Ad-blockers will detect and block crypto-mining codes that are commonly placed in web ads.