Mining for cryptocurrency isn’t illegal. But using a computer or network to do so without permission is. Here’s how to tell if someone is cryptojacking your resources for their own benefit.
Cryptocurrencies and the Need to Mine
The virtual tokens that cryptocurrencies use as coins are minted when a large number of very complex mathematical problems have been solved. The computational effort required to solve these problems is enormous.
It’s a collaborative effort, with many computers linked together to form a distributed processing platform called a pool. Solving the mathematical problems—or contributing to their solution—is called mining. Recording transactions made with the cryptocurrency such as purchases and payments also requires mining. The reward for mining is a small amount of the cryptocurrency.
As time goes by it becomes harder to mint new coins. Each cryptocurrency will mint a predetermined number of coins over the life of the currency. As more and more coins are created, and fewer new coins are left to create, the effort required to mine and mint new coins increases. Long gone are the days when it was possible to make money by cryptomining on a small scale. The amount of electricity you use wipes out your small cryptocurrency profit.
Profitable cryptomining requires specialist rigs and even entire farms of machines. The hardware costs must be recouped and the running costs permanently offset, so even then it isn’t all free money. Unless of course, you’re using someone else’s computing resources to perform your mining. Using someone else’s IT resources without permission is a crime, but that’s no deterrent to the cybercriminals.
Using phishing attacks or infected websites they can easily install cryptomining malware without your knowledge, and poach your electrical power and CPU cycles. Another way they cryptomine on your dime is to infect websites so that visitors’ browsers join a cryptomining pool and run JavaScript cryptomining scripts. Whichever method the threat actors employ, it’s called cryptojacking and it lets them make a profit while you face higher utility bills and reduced performance.
Because they try compromise as many computers as possible across as many organizations as possible, their pool of computers becomes large and powerful. That power means they can materially contribute to the mining processes and get rewarded.
RELATED:Cryptocurrency Miners Explained: Why You Really Don't Want This Junk on Your PC
Large-Scale Mining
Cryptomining has even been used by Advanced Persistent Threat groups and other state-sponsored threat actors. Microsoft has described in a security blog how one state-sponsored cyber-espionage group has added cryptojacking to their usual forms of cybercriminal activity.
They have conducted wide-spread attacks in France and Vietnam, deploying cryptominers to mine the popular cryptocurrency Monero. Mining cryptocurrency on a huge scale like this guarantees it will be profitable.
How To Spot Cryptomining
If you or your users notice a drop in performance of computers or servers, and those machines have a constant high CPU load and fan activity, that might be an indication that cryptojacking is taking place.
Sometimes poorly-written and badly-tested operating system or application patches can have adverse effects that share the same symptoms. But if you’re seeing a sudden, widespread number of affected computers and there haven’t been any scheduled patches rolled out, its likely to be cryptojacking.
Some of the smarter cryptojacking software limits its CPU load when it notices a certain threshold of legitimate user activity. This makes it harder to spot, but it also introduces a new indicator. If the CPU and fans go higher when nothing or very little is happening on the computer—the exact opposite of what you’d expect—then it is likely to be cryptojacking.
Cryptojacking software can also attempt to blend in by pretending to be a process that belongs to a legitimate application. They can use techniques such as DLL sideloading where a malicious DLL replaces a legitimate DLL. The DLL is called by abone fideapplication when it launches, or a doppelgänger application that has been downloaded behind the scenes.
Once it is called, the fraudulent DLL launches a cryptomining process. If the high CPU load is noticed and investigated, it appears that a legitimate application is misbehaving and performing in an adverse fashion.
With such measures being taken by the malware authors, how can you recognize cryptojacking for what it is, and not mistake it as an errant but “normal” application?
One way is to review logs from network devices such as firewalls, DNS servers, and proxy servers and look for connections to known cryptomining pools. Obtain lists of connections that cryptominers use, and block them. For example, these patterns will block the majority of Monero cryptomining pools:
*xmr.*
*pool.com
*pool.org
pool.*
The obverse of this tactic is to limit your external connections to known, good endpoints but with a cloud-centric infrastructure that is significantly harder. It’s not impossible, but will require constant review and maintenance to make sure legitimate assets are not blocked.
Cloud providers can make changes that impact how they are seen from the outside world. Microsoft helpfully maintain a list of all theAzure IP address ranges, which it updates weekly. Not all cloud providers are so organized or considerate.
Blocking Cryptomining
Most popular browsers support extensions that can block cryptomining in the web browser. Some ad-blockers have the ability to detect and stop JavaScript cryptomining processes from executing.
Microsoft is experimenting with a new feature in their Edge browser, code-named theSuper Duper Secure Mode. This shrinks the browser’s attack surface hugely by completely turning off the Just in Time compilation within the V8 JavaScript engine.
This slows down performance—on paper at least—but removes a considerable layer of complexity from the browser. Complexity is where bugs slip in. And bugs lead to vulnerabilities that, when exploited, lead to compromised systems. Many testers are reporting no noticeable slow-down in their use of the test release versions of Edge. Your mileage may vary, of course. If you habitually use very intensive web-apps, you’d likely see some sluggishness. But most people would choose security over small performance gains every time.
As Usual…
Prevention is better than cure. Good cyber hygiene starts with education. Make sure your staff can recognize typical phishing attack techniques and tell-tale signs. Make sure they feel comfortable raising concerns and encourage them to report suspicious communications, attachments, or system behaviors.
Always use two-factor or multi-factor authentication where available.
Award network privileges using the principle of least-privilege. Allocate privileges so that individuals have the access and freedom to perform their role and no more.
Implement email filtering to block phishing emails and emails with suspicious characteristics, such as spoofed from addresses. Different systems have different capabilities of course. If your email platform can check links in email body texts before the user can click them, so much the better.
Check your firewall, proxy, and DNS logs and look for inexplicable connections. Automated tools can help with this. Block access to known cryptomining pools.
Prevent the automatic execution of macros and installation processes.
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This can be done by blacklisting domains, or by using software or plugins to do it for you. Many AV solutions, such as BitDefender, Avast, and MalwareBytes automatically block mining sites such as CoinHive miner's JavaScript from accessing their domain and IP.
A high and consistent CPU usage percentage could indicate the presence of a crypto malware. Users can check the CPU usage via Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS).
One way is to review logs from network devices such as firewalls, DNS servers, and proxy servers and look for connections to known cryptomining pools. Obtain lists of connections that cryptominers use, and block them.
You can also block specific domains that you suspect of cryptomining. Simply open your browser, find the "Customize" drop-down, and then block a URL. To block Coinhive, you can copy/paste https://coin-hive.com/lib/coinhive.min.js into the text box.
The only signs they might notice is slower performance, lags in execution, overheating, excessive power consumption, or abnormally high cloud computing bills.
Mining is probabilistic, and the probabilities don't change based on past history of the pool nor the luck of other miners. Every hash is just as likely to result in a block find as every other hash.
Yes, Bitcoin is traceable. Here's what you need to know: Blockchain transactions are recorded on a public, distributed ledger. This makes all transactions open to the public - and any interested government agency.
Mining crypto on your smartphone can also have a negative effect on its lifespan. The more stress you put on your phone, the more the hardware degrades. This is far more the case for solo mining than pool mining, but the rule can apply to both.
STEP 1: Uninstall malicious programs from Windows. STEP 2: Remove malicious browser extensions and settings from your browser. STEP 3: Use Malwarebytes to remove trojans and browser hijackers. STEP 4: Use HitmanPro to scan your computer for rootkits and other malware.
How to know when a website is mining cryptocurrency
In Windows, right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager. Open the Performance tab.
In MacOS, open Activity Monitor by searching for it with Spotlight (pressing Command + Spacebar) or by going to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.
For known cryptojacking malware, antivirus software will detect it before the malware runs on the local computer. Antimalware has also gotten better at detecting malicious web pages, including those that contain cryptojacking JavaScript code.
What Is a Blockchain Testnet? The blockchain test network — or testnet — represents nodes that have agreed to work collaboratively, independently of the main network or mainnet. For example, Ethereum has five testnets, each with unique purposes and programming parameters — Kovan, Rinkeby, Sokol, Görli, and Ropsten.
Bitcoin mining fees will disappear when the Bitcoin supply reaches 21 million. Miners will likely earn income only from transaction processing fees, rather than a combination of block rewards and transaction fees. PlanetCrypto. "How Many Bitcoin Are Left in 2022?"
Follow these steps to block cryptocurrency mining scripts on Chrome. Tap the three dots on the top right > Settings > Site Settings.Now tap Javascript and disable it. If you want to enable Javascript on specific sites, tap Add Site Exceptions and manually add URLs of sites where you want to allow Javascript.
Mining crypto at home with a CPU is possible with coins like Monero, Zcash and Byte, but it will be a slow process and the cost of electricity may be more than the value of the coins you can mine. For those who want to get more serious, crypto GPU mining is a realistic path.
Cryptojackers use two main attack modes: web browser and host-based. Web browser attacks embed cryptomining software on a website that runs when a victim visits that particular site. Host-based attacks use malware that gets downloaded onto a victim's device.
Boiled Potatoes: increases your Mining Luck by 1700 points for 30 minutes. Poultry with Roasted Potatoes: increases your Mining Luck by 1900 points for 35 minutes. Salted Roasted Vegetables: increases your Mining Luck by 2000 points for 40 minutes.
There are two ways to increase your mining luck - craft pickaxes with the mining luck Perk, or by eating food that increases your mining luck for a period of time.
Pool luck explains how many shares the pool needed to find a specific block in comparison to the average number of shares needed for finding a block based on the current network difficulty. If luck is above 100%, it means that the pool needed fewer shares than expected for the given difficulty.
If the bitcoin wallet is not encrypted, law enforcement has complete access (provided proper warrants have been obtained for the seizure of the device). If the bitcoin wallet is encrypted, getting the suspect to volunteer the encryption code is the easiest method of access.
Bitcoin pays out a mining reward each time a new “block” is entered into the permanent record of transactions. The reward shrinks every few years, but for now, it is 6.25 BTC, which in December 2022 was worth roughly $105,000 as Bitcoin hovered below $17,000.
Cryptocurrency does not exist in physical form (like paper money) and is typically not issued by a central authority. Cryptocurrencies typically use decentralized control as opposed to a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
Answer: Best includes Ethereum, Monaco, Monero, Vertcoin, Grin, Monero, ZCash, Bitcoin Gold, Haven, Ravencoin, Litecoin, and Aeternity. Check comparison mining calculators to confirm because profitability keeps changing. Be sure to check the top cryptocurrency mining software you can use to mine these cryptocurrencies.
One of the best ways to stop data miners from getting your information is to use a secure VPN. Normally, when you want to access the internet, you would need an IP address. This IP address contains private information about you such as your location.
Absolutely not. The bandwidth required to mine Bitcoin is very low as shown here: What are the bandwidth requirements of a mining rig? So that's 700 bits per second out and about 2,000 bits per second back. Essentially, zero.
While AVs defend data, privacy, and hardware, they can also be an obstruction. Even reputable libraries like Ethermine or Nicehash get flagged by different AVs. Software like Norton will caution users that miners could be pulling something shady behind the curtain.
In the uninstall programs window, look for "CPU Miner" and "SG Miner", select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove". After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections.
Open the website in your web browser and select the “View Source” option.
In the webpage source, scan for JavaScript code that looks fishy: Flagged domains as listed above. Unrecognized domain/file names. Initialization script for CoinHive.
Since the main signal used for this detection capability comes right from the hardware (the Intel CPU), it can detect coin miners running inside unprotected virtual machines and other containers.
Be wary of guarantees and big promises. Scammers often promise you'll make money quickly, or that you'll get big payouts or guaranteed returns. They might offer you free money paid in cash or cryptocurrency — but, even if there's a celebrity endorsem*nt, don't buy it.
Download and install GPU-Z on your computer. Run it and get the BIOS version of your GPU. Next, compare the BIOS version to the ones in the Techpowerup VGA BIOS Database.If you find the BIOS version listed there, then you have a gaming BIOS.
Mining harms your GPU in the sense that one of its by-products is producing excess heat. If you run your mining setup 24/7 at a high temperature – above 80 oC or 90 oC - the GPU could sustain damage that will severely affect its lifespan. But crypto mining doesnt necsssarily damage your GPU.
Use ad-blockers—cryptojacking scripts are often embedded in web ads. Use an ad-blocker to block and detect malicious cyptomining code. Disable JavaScript—when surfing online, disable JavaScript to prevent cryptojacking code from infecting your organization's computers.
One of the best crypto screening tools is TradingView. By using this tool, you can access over 7,000 different asset pairs, including crypto to crypto and crypto to fiat pairs. Charts are also available for several browsers, along with real-time data.
Miners and mining pools constantly send data back and forth between them in JSON (human readable format), and without proper security measures it's possible for the miner's ISP to see every detail about these data transfers. In other words, ISPs can easily see that somebody is mining Bitcoin based on their data.
Yes, Bitcoin is traceable. Here's what you need to know: Blockchain transactions are recorded on a public, distributed ledger. This makes all transactions open to the public - and any interested government agency.
Should You Use a VPN for Cryptocurrency? The short answer: yes. And that's because a VPN adds an extra layer of security between your device and the Internet.
Not really. The Internet speed is not a deterrent for anyone to get into crypto mining. A 2-3Mbps internet speed is enough to run thirty-forty crypto mining rigs.
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