Cryptojacking is on the rise again
After dropping off last year, the prevalence of cryptojacking is on the rise again. Cryptojacking is where the bad guys hijack your computer to mine cryptocurrency. That is, they use your computer hardware, and electricity, to mine cryptocurrency for their pockets.
While this is not as invasive, or devastating, as more malicious attacks such as ransomware, it still is taking money out of your pocket as well as impacting the use of your computer. By using the time that your CPU would normally be idle, the cryptojackers cause your system to use more power. That is in addition to slowing your system when you are actively using it.
In a simple form, your system could be hijacked by simply browsing a web site with a cryptojacking javascript. In that case, while you are on that website, your computer will be participating in the mining scheme and will stop when you go to another site, or close your browser. However, if the site can successfully infiltrate your system, it may load a persistent mining payload, and your system will then be mining until it is removed.
Of course, other avenues of an attack like phishing emails common, also. So, the usual warnings apply here, too, such as be very suspicious of any emails from people that you don’t know, keep your patches and anti-virus/anti-malware up to date, and so on.
If you are infected with a cryptojacker, the most likely thing that you will see is a general slowness using your computer. That is, until your electric bill arrives, which may be very much higher than you expected. Another indication, especially on a laptop, is that your cooling fan constantly runs at a higher rate than normal, indicating that your system is running hotter.
While cryptojacking software is typically not difficult to remove, it may be that other malicious software has also been loaded. Therefore, a good inspection of your system is in order.
Dave