Cryptojacking on the Rise

There
has
been
a
steep
rise
in
Cryptojacking
attacks
by
cybercriminal
groups
to
infiltrate
networks
and
stealthily
mine
for
coins.
With
a
visible
annual
increase
by
37%,
Quick
Heal
has
detected
14.3
Million
cases
of
these
attacks
through
2022.
Large
scale
cryptojacking
is
fast
emerging
as
a
popular
trend
in
the
Cybercrime
scenario.

Let
us
explore
and
learn
how
to
protect
our
digital
lives
from
the
rising
cyberthreat
of
cryptojacking.

What
is
Cryptojacking?

Coin
Mining,
an
otherwise
legal
activity
is
a
hobby
for
many,
but
the
problem
arises
when
users
employ
devious
methods
to
make
illicit
gains.
The
systems
at
risk
could
be
anything
starting
with

websites,
PCs,
mobiles,

servers
or
cloud
infrastructure.
Cryptojacking
typically
takes
place
through
Trojans,
but
of
late
hackers
are
also
using
tactics
like
ransomware
and
infected
websites
to
get
others
to
illegally
mine
cryptocurrency
for
them. 

In
simple
terms,
Cryptojacking
is
the
act
of
hijacking
somebody’s
computing
resources
without
their
consent,
in
order
to
mine
cryptocurrency. 

How
can
you
tell
if
you’re
being
Crypto-jacked?

This
activity
typically
takes
place
in
the
background
with
unsuspecting
victims
being
targeted
while
they
use
their
devices.
However,
here
are
5
indications
of
your
system
being
compromised.

1. 
   Slowing
   down
   of
   your
   system
   performance 
2. 
   Lagging
   in
   execution 
3. 
   Overheating
   of
   device 
4. 
   Excessive
   power
   consumption 
5. 
   Unusually
   high
   cloud
   computing
   bills

How
can
I
prevent
Cryptojacking?

As
a
business
it
is
important
that
your
company
website
is
not
hosting
any
cryptocurrency
mining
file.
And,
as
a
user
here
are
5
simple
ways
to
keep
your
digital
world
secure
from
cryptojacking.

5
Ways
to
Stay
Safe
from
Cryptojacking

1. 
   Stay
   Alert
   &
   don’t
   open
   or
   reply
   to
   suspicious
   emails,
   texts
   or
   links
   as
   these
   could
   be
   phishing
   messages
   from
   miners
2. 
   Use
   Ad
   blockers
   as
   malicious
   codes
   may
   be
   embedded
   in
   pop-ups
   to
   gain
   access
   to
   your
   devices
3. 
   Connect
   with
   VPN
   to
   surf
   safely
   as
   public
   wi-fi
   allows
   easy
   entry
   points 
   for
   cybercriminals
   to
   hack
   into
   personal
   devices.
4. 
   Install
   Genuine
   Antivirus
   software
   that
   can
   predict,
   detect
   and
   prevent
   any
   fraudulent
   activity
   in
   your
   devices
5. 
   Monitor
   &
   always
   investigate
   any
   abnormal
   performance
   in
   your
   device
   in
   terms
   of
   speed
   or
   utility
   bills. 

Conclusion

You
can
find
out
more
about
the
emerging
threat
trends
in
our
Annual
Threat
Report
2022.
In
the
meanwhile,
staying
safe
from
rogue
agents
like
these
starts
with
YOU
and
your
proactive
use
of
a 
CyberSecurity
solution.
Get
yourself
a
trusted
software
to
secure
your
digital
world.

Quickheal

Follow
@

About Author

AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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