Crypto-Jacking Defense: Essential Steps to Secure Your Devices

In the world of cryptocurrency, despite market volatility, high values continue to attract miners seeking digital wealth. Modern mining demands substantial computational power – the more resources available, the quicker the mining process. This leads miners to invest in powerful hardware and create mining farms, combining multiple computers to enhance cryptocurrency production.

The Rise of Unauthorized Mining

Given the significant costs of mining equipment, some individuals resort to unauthorized use of others' computing resources. They target not only corporate networks but also personal computers, installing malicious software that hijacks processing power for mining operations.

Web Mining: A Hidden Threat

A newer approach involves "web miners" that operate through websites. Unlike traditional malware, these leave no trace on hard drives. Users may notice their computers slowing down or freezing while visiting certain websites, particularly those offering pirated content, as these scripts consume maximum processing power.

Protection Measures

To safeguard your computer against hidden mining, consider these steps:

1. Performance Monitoring

• Check CPU usage through Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS)
• Investigate applications causing 100% processor usage
• Test by closing browsers to identify problematic websites

2. Browser Security

• Disable JavaScript for suspicious sites
• Adjust browser settings selectively to maintain functionality on trusted websites

3. Additional Protection

• Install webminer blocking extensions (NoScript, ScriptSafe, ScriptBlock, No Coin)
• Maintain updated antivirus software
• Enable detection of potentially unwanted programs (Riskware)