Cryptojacking: How to Protect Yourself?
Cryptojacking is the unauthorized use of another person’s computer to mine cryptocurrencies. To do this, hackers either trick the victim into clicking on a malicious link in an email that loads cryptomining software onto the computer, or they infect a website or online advertisement with JavaScript code that runs automatically once loaded in the victim’s browser.
Cryptojacking may seem like a relatively harmless crime since the only thing stolen is the power of the victim’s computer. But the use of computer power for this criminal purpose is done without the victim’s knowledge and consent, for the benefit of criminals who illicitly create money.
How does cryptojacking work?
Hackers have two main ways to trick a victim’s computer into secretly mining cryptocurrencies. The first is to trick victims into loading a cryptocurrency mining code onto their computer. This is done through phishing-type tactics: victims receive a legitimate-looking email that encourages them to click on a link. The link runs code that places the cryptomining script on the computer. The script then runs in the background while the victim works.
The other method is to inject a script on a website or an advertisement that is served on several websites. Once the victims visit the website or the infected advertisement is displayed in their browser, the script runs automatically. No code is stored on the victim’s computer. Whichever method is used, the code runs complex math problems on victims’ computers and sends the results to a server the hacker controls.
Some cryptomining scripts have wormy capabilities that allow them to infect other devices and servers on a network. It also makes them harder to find and remove; maintaining persistence on a network is in the financial interest of the cryptojacker. To increase their ability to spread across a network, cryptomining codes can include multiple versions to account for different network architectures. The scripts can also check if the device is already infected with competing cryptomining malware. If another cryptominer is detected, the script disables it. A cryptominer may also have a prevention mechanism that runs every few minutes.
Unlike most other types of malware, cryptojacking scripts do not harm victims’ computers or data. They steal CPU resources. For individual users, slow computer performance may just be an annoyance that they won’t dig into to find the cause.
How to protect yourself from it?
To avoid falling prey to cryptojacking, there is no single protection. On the other hand, various small actions can be taken to protect themselves.
Install a security suite
A security suite can detect all threats and can offer protection against cryptojacking. As with all other malware precautions, it’s best to be proactive and install security before (and in order to avoid) falling victim to an attack. It is also a good idea to install the latest updates and patches for your operating system and all applications, especially those related to web browsers.
Cybercriminals are constantly modifying the code and finding new distribution methods to embed updated scripts into your computer system. By being proactive and staying on top of the latest cybersecurity threats, you can detect cryptojacking on your network and devices and avoid other types of cybersecurity threats.
Use web extensions for your browser
Cryptojacking scripts are often deployed in web browsers. You can use specialized browser extensions to block cryptojackers on the web like minerBlock, No Coin and Anti Miner. They install as extensions in some popular browsers. Since cryptojacking scripts are often served by online advertisements, installing an ad blocker can be an effective way to stop them. Using an ad blocker like Ad Blocker Plus can both detect and block malicious cryptojacking codes.
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