What Is Cryptojacking And How To Avoid It?

 Cryptojacking malware can take over a victim's computer and steal its resources. But how to detect it?

Criminals use all kinds of means to achieve their evil goals. The cryptocurrency world is also one of their targets. A new criminal tactic has emerged in the form of an online threat known as cryptojacking. Then what is cryptojacking and how does it work? We will find out all that in this article.

What is Cryptojacking?

Cryptojacking is an emerging form of cybercrime involving the unauthorized use of computers and their resources to mine cryptocurrency, usually without the user's knowledge.

Cryptocurrency is a form of digital money that is created using cryptographic tokens. Cryptocurrency was created as a better alternative to fiat money. Many cybercriminals use cryptojacking to take advantage of the increasing usage rates of cryptocurrencies.

How Does Cryptojacking Work?

Cryptojackers access devices by different methods. One of the most frequently used methods is using malware. Malicious software infects devices after victims click on malicious links on websites or emails. This will cause the victim to download the crypto mining code directly to their device. Once the malware takes hold of the computer, unauthorized cryptocurrency mining begins without the victim's knowledge.

Another method of cryptojacking is known as 'drive-by' crypto mining. Similar to ad exploits, this scheme operates by embedding a piece of JavaScript code into a website. The malware infects the devices of people visiting the site, then makes those devices part of the cryptocurrency mining process.

Unfortunately, cryptojacking doesn't just happen on computers. These threats not only take over web browsers, but can harm all kinds of devices, from desktops and laptops to smartphones and network servers, because they usually have the ability to remain undetected. So is there a way to detect it?

How to Detect Cryptojacking?

Even though the malware performs all its actions silently on the victim's device, the victim may start to notice slower computer performance. This is a real sign that something unpleasant might be going on.

1. CPU usage spikes. Because cryptomining is the main consumer of resources. You can use this knowledge to detect cryptojacking by monitoring spikes in your CPU and setting alerts when the CPU usage exceeds a certain percentage on the machine that is not normally reached.

2. Performance degradation. If you notice a decrease in performance on your computer, make sure to run a check. This includes desktops, laptops, tablets and mobile devices. A slower system is usually the first sign that crypto mining is taking place.

3. Overheating. The resource-intensive process of cryptojacking can cause the device to overheat. This can eventually cause damage or shorten the life of your device.

How to Protect Your Computer From Cryptojacking?

It's important to take precautions before any of that happens. Because as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. This is especially important in the case of cryptojacking methods running within the browser. Here are some tips for protecting computers from cryptojacking:

1. Blacklisting domains. This is a good place to start, you can do it manually or by using third party software or plugins to do all the work. Many anti-virus solutions, such as Bitdefender, Avast, and MalwareBytes will automatically block mining sites from accessing their domains and IPs.

2. Use anti-cryptoming extensions. Cryptojacking scripts are often used in web browsers. Use browser extensions to block crypto miners across the web such as minerBlock, No Coin, and Anti Miner.

3. Disable JavaScript. While browsing, disabling JavaScript can prevent cryptojacking code from infiltrating your computer. However, keep in mind that disabling JavaScript will simultaneously block many of the functions you need while browsing.

Conclusion

So what is cryptojacking? Cryptojacking is a type of cybercrime that involves the unauthorized use of people's devices (computers, smartphones, tablets or even servers) by cybercriminals to mine cryptocurrencies.

Now that you have a better understanding of cryptojacking, you should stay alert and if possible, increase your computer's security even more. Because then you will most likely avoid the risk of cryptojacking.

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Resa Risyan

Just an ordinary person who wants to share a little knowledge, hopefully the knowledge I provide can be useful for all of us. Keep in mind! Useful knowledge is an investment in the afterlife.