Just what is cryptojacking, the cyber attack carried out by crypto miners? Cryptojacking is a type of cyber assault in which a computing equipment is hijacked and operated by the perpetrator, and its capabilities are used to generate bitcoin illegally.
According to a survey by the US-based cybersecurity company SonicWall, “Cryptojacking” attacks on computer systems increased by 30% to 66.7 million in the first half of 2022 when compared to the same period of last year, reports The Indian Express.
“While volume increases were widespread, some business sectors were hit harder than others, such as the finance industry, which saw a rise of 269%,” the report said.
What is cryptojacking?
A cyberattack known as “cryptojacking” involves taking control of a computer and using its capabilities to secretly generate cryptocurrency. The malicious malware is typically deployed when a person clicks on a dubious link or visits a website that is infected and unwittingly grants permission to their Internet-connected device.
Why is cryptojacking done?
Coin mining is a legal, competitive mechanism for releasing new crypto currencies into circulation or verifying new transactions. It entails solving complicated computational problems in order to produce blocks of confirmed transactions for inclusion in the blockchain. The first miner to successfully update the crypto ledger using this channel receives crypto coins as a reward.
However, cracking this 64-digit hexadecimal numeric code requires significant computer power, cutting-edge gear, and electrical power to retain the systems involved operational.
Cryptojackers take over devices, computers, and cloud infrastructure and mine with them. The utilization of ‘stolen’ or cryptojacked resources reduces mining costs.
Why have cryptojacking incidents gone up?
The crackdown on ransomware assaults, according to SonicWall’s Cyber Threat Report, is prompting thieves to seek alternate ways. Cryptojacking has a “lower risk” and a “potentially higher payday.”
According to Terry Greer-King, SonicWall’s vice president for EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), cryptojacking is an enticing substitute for cybercriminal gangs because “it has a lower potential of being detected by the victim; unsuspecting users across the world see their devices get unaccountably slower, but it’s hard to tie it to criminal activity, much less point to the source.”
“Unlike ransomware, which announces its presence and relies heavily on communication with victims, cryptojacking can succeed without the victim ever being aware of it,” the report said.
Why should this be a concern?
Cryptojacking is difficult to spot, and typically victims are oblivious that their computers have been hijacked. Some warning indications include the gadget slowing down, getting hot, or the battery draining more rapidly than usual.
Cryptojackers are targeting corporations in addition to people. According to the report, cryptojacking assaults on the retail industry have increased by 63 percent year to date, while similar attacks on the banking industry have increased by 269 percent.
“The primary impact of cryptojacking is performance-related, though it can also increase costs for the individuals and businesses affected because coin mining uses high levels of electricity and computing power,” says the Interpol.