Many scams have been popping up since the rise of cryptocurrencies in 2017, and one of these is cryptocurrency mining hacks or cryptojacking. We will show you how to spot hackers and how to stop cryptocurrency mining from happening on your computer.
First, you need to learn what cryptojacking is and how it affects your computer. We will show you how to detect and respond if your computer is affected by cryptojacking. Let’s start by explaining cryptojacking.
Cryptojacking
Cryptojacking is the process of using the computing power of a computer without proper authorization from the owner or the organization. Since mining cryptocurrencies have been rising in popularity, the hardware and electricity costs that come with it are quite costly.
Hackers have been trying to find ways to skip the cost but still get the profits; thus, cryptojacking was born. Cryptojacking became popular because you don’t even need excellent computer skills to pull off this hack. You can find cryptojacking kits on the dark web for around $30.
Some hackers also prefer cryptojacking to ransomware. Ransomware is software created to attack a computer system that blocks the owner’s access until ransom money is paid. They find it more profitable than the other. If the infected user doesn’t see the malware or the mining script quickly, the computer continuously provides them income. In ransomware, not all will pay the price for their infected computers.
The two most common types of cryptojacking are done through mining scripts and malware. We’ll show you how each type works its way into your computers. Once you get to know these hacks, you will find out how to stop cryptocurrency mining.
Mining Scripts
The first type of cryptocurrency mining is through mining scripts passed to your computer through a website that runs it. These scripts obtain access to your computer’s resources and use them to mine cryptocurrency for their accounts.
After the script has been executed, it will run in the background so the user wouldn’t notice it. Before, the hackers let the script utilize the CPU’s full capacity, so the owner quickly catches it because their computer evidently slows down. New scripts have ways to throttle up to 20% of the CPU capacity so the user wouldn’t notice it quickly.
These scripts are undetectable because it doesn’t store codes into your computer. It only runs when you visit the website that runs the script or the pop-up ads that have the script with them. If you want to understand how to stop cryptocurrency mining like this, you must understand mining scripts.
Malware
The second type of cryptojacking method is through injecting malware into your computer. A code that injects the malware into your PC will run once you click on the rigged email link. This is the same tactic used by phishing websites—they use spam emails with links that contain malware. After that, the malware script will run in the background without you noticing it.
Malware cryptojacking scripts sometimes have worming capabilities to spread through a network of computers, making them harder to track down and eliminate. Other scripts can also detect what architecture the device has and downloads the appropriate one to work.
How to Detect Cryptojacking in Your Computer
One way to detect cryptojacking is by checking your resource allocation through the task manager. If the cryptojacking script still uses the old models that utilize the CPU’s maximum capacity, you will notice it quickly.
If it is through web scripts, you will notice your web browser using an absurd amount of CPU resources. Web browsers like Google Chrome utilize a large amount of RAM but not a lot of CPU power. If it does, it may be a cryptojacking script.
If the cryptojacking was done through malware, updating your virus software and regularly scanning your computer may help you detect cryptojacking scripts in your computer.
What to Do with Cryptojacking Attacks
Here are our tips on how to stop cryptocurrency mining. One way to prevent cryptojacking attacks on your computer is by installing anti-crypto mining web browser extensions. These web browser extensions detect cryptojacking scripts and prevent them from executing on your computer. You can also install ad-blockers since most cryptojacking scripts are injected thru ads.
Another way on how to stop cryptocurrency mining is by installing antivirus and/or anti-malware software. Most of the antivirus and anti-malware software includes cryptojacking detection in their systems. All you need to do is to keep the antivirus software and database updated. This will be a big step in keeping cryptojackers away from your computer. Discover more about crypto mining here!
Conclusion
We hope you learned a lot from the article regarding unauthorized cryptocurrency mining or cryptojacking. We provided you tips and tools to detect cryptocurrency mining. We then showed you how to stop cryptocurrency mining and prevent it. Your computer should always be in tiptop shape so you can use its full capabilities. If your computer is being used for crypto mining, you should be the one to profit from it.