Ever heard of cryptojacking? In 2023 alone, over 332.3 million of these attacks were conducted. Cryptojacking is a newer cybercrime where cybercriminals use a person’s computer to mine cryptocurrency for them. Today, we’ll explain how these attacks work, how to spot if you’re a victim, and tips to prevent these attacks.
How Cryptojacking Works
Cryptojacking is a covert cyberattack that steals computing power from victims to mine cryptocurrency. These attacks generally begin with malicious code being delivered and activated, causing significant performance loss and potentially damaging hardware. Here’s a breakdown of how these attacks work:
Delivery of Malicious Code: Attackers use phishing emails, malicious download links, or compromised websites to infect devices. After infecting the device, they can activate the code which will start mining cryptocurrency for the attacker.
Exploitation of Systems: The code injected into computers consumes CPU/GPU power, which can slow down the device, cause overheating, or increase electricity usage. This increased activity can also lead to faster hardware degradation.
Why Attackers Choose Cryptojacking: Cryptocurrency mining takes massive amounts of computer power, which is very costly to set up. Cryptojacking allows these attackers to mine crypto without having to pay for devices or electricity and often remain undetected for longer periods of time.
Photo By Paessler
How To Spot If You’re a Victim of Cryptojacking
A lot of the time, victims don’t realize they’ve been mining cryptocurrency for these attackers for several months. Here are some ways to spot if you’ve become a victim of these attacks:
Slow Performance: Devices naturally slow down when handling complex tasks, but a device struggling with basic tasks may indicate a cryptojacking attack.
System Overheating: Overheating generally only happens when you are using a device for long, complex tasks. If a device is overheating while performing basic tasks, this could be a sign you are a victim of these attackers.
Spike in Electricity Usage: These attacks take a lot of electricity, so if you notice sudden spikes in your electricity bill that is generally a way to spot if you’re a victim. There are also monitoring tools that can show if your CPU or GPU has high usage, when idle or for basic tasks.
Photo By Norton
Tips To Prevent Cryptojacking Attacks
Cryptojacking is a stealthy way attackers exploit your devices, but there are measures that can help you avoid falling victim. Here are some tips to protect yourself and your system:
Avoid Infection Attempts: Phishing emails, fake websites, malicious ads, compromised browser extensions, and infected USB drives are common ways these mining scripts infect devices. Staying vigilant when online is key to avoiding these infection attempts.
Keep Devices Updated: Exploiting software vulnerabilities is a way attackers can gain access to your devices. They often exploit unpatched vulnerabilities to install their crypto-mining malware. Keeping devices updated is an easy way to prevent these attacks from happening, and setting up automatic updates is a way to avoid outdated software.
Partnering With Cybersecurity Experts: Whether you’re an individual or a large business, partnering with cybersecurity experts is the best way to avoid cyber-attacks. Finding services with threat detection, real-time monitoring, and employee training will greatly reduce the chances of these attacks affecting you or your business.
How Kirkham IronTech Stops Cryptojacking Attackers
At Kirkham IronTech, our wide range of services and our IronTech Framework ensure a comprehensive approach to protecting businesses from any cyber threats. Here are some services we offer that stop threats such as cryptojacking:
- 24/7 Monitoring
- Threat Detection
- Employee Training
- Security Audits
- And More
Don’t Wait Until Your Business Becomes a Victim!
Call Us: (479) 434-1400 – Speak with our IT and cybersecurity team.
Visit Our Website: www.kirkhamirontech.com – Learn about our tailored services.
Email Us: info@kirkhamirontech.com – Let us help secure your business from cryptojacking.
Tom Kirkham brings more than three decades of software design, network administration, and cybersecurity knowledge to organizations around the country. During his career, Tom has received multiple software design awards and founded other acclaimed technology businesses.
