McAfee: Cryptojacking Increased by 4,000 Percent in 2018
- The cyber security firm found malware attached to flash players and sent via messaging apps.
Cybersecurity firm McAfee released a report this Thursday which showed a massive uptick in the use of cryptojacking malware over the course of 2018.
A word that could have been coined only in the strange world of cryptocurrency, cryptojacking is a process by which someone takes control of your computer and uses its power to mine Cryptocurrencies Cryptocurrencies By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the netw By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the netw Read this Term.
Insidiously, if someone’s computer is infected by a piece of cryptojacking malware, it is unlikely they will even realize what has occurred. The malware is likely to cause a slow down in your computer’s performance, but it is not obvious what it is that’s wrong.
Though a lot of malware is downloaded on to a person’s computer, cryptojacking can also be done purely online. For example, a number of websites were found to be using visitors’ computer power as they browsed through the sites’ pages.
Statistics vary as to how much money cryptojackers really make but, according to McAfee’s report, they can do well if they are able to secure a large volume of computers. As you can imagine, an individual computer isn’t going to do much but ten thousand working together could.
McAfee Fighting Back
Reports of cryptojacking can be traced as far back as 2016, and the number of cases certainly grew in 2017. But it was this year when things really took off.
According to McAfee, the number of cryptojacking malware programs grew by 4,000 percent throughout 2018. Most were sent by fraudsters on messaging apps. Users looking for software to fix cryptocurrency-related problems were sent downloads purporting to be solutions to those problems.
More sneakily, some hackers attached cryptojacking extensions to versions of the open-source media player Kodi.
Given the slide in the value of Bitcoin Bitcoin While some may still be wondering what is Bitcoin, who created Bitcoin, or how does Bitcoin work, one thing is certain: Bitcoin has changed the world.No one can remain indifferent to this revolutionary, decentralized, digital asset nor to its blockchain technology.In fact, we’ve gone a long way ever since a Florida resident Laszlo Hanyecz made BTC’s first official commercial transaction with a real company by trading 10,000 Bitcoins for 2 pizzas at his local Papa John’s.One could now argue that While some may still be wondering what is Bitcoin, who created Bitcoin, or how does Bitcoin work, one thing is certain: Bitcoin has changed the world.No one can remain indifferent to this revolutionary, decentralized, digital asset nor to its blockchain technology.In fact, we’ve gone a long way ever since a Florida resident Laszlo Hanyecz made BTC’s first official commercial transaction with a real company by trading 10,000 Bitcoins for 2 pizzas at his local Papa John’s.One could now argue that Read this Term and other cryptocurrencies over the last couple of months, it will be interesting to see whether there will be an equivalent decline in the level of cryptojacking.
It is unlikely, however, that the problem will disappear entirely so prepare yourselves, Finance Magnates reader, the mining hackers are out there, and they want your computer power.
Cybersecurity firm McAfee released a report this Thursday which showed a massive uptick in the use of cryptojacking malware over the course of 2018.
A word that could have been coined only in the strange world of cryptocurrency, cryptojacking is a process by which someone takes control of your computer and uses its power to mine Cryptocurrencies Cryptocurrencies By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the netw By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the netw Read this Term.
Insidiously, if someone’s computer is infected by a piece of cryptojacking malware, it is unlikely they will even realize what has occurred. The malware is likely to cause a slow down in your computer’s performance, but it is not obvious what it is that’s wrong.
Though a lot of malware is downloaded on to a person’s computer, cryptojacking can also be done purely online. For example, a number of websites were found to be using visitors’ computer power as they browsed through the sites’ pages.
Statistics vary as to how much money cryptojackers really make but, according to McAfee’s report, they can do well if they are able to secure a large volume of computers. As you can imagine, an individual computer isn’t going to do much but ten thousand working together could.
McAfee Fighting Back
Reports of cryptojacking can be traced as far back as 2016, and the number of cases certainly grew in 2017. But it was this year when things really took off.
According to McAfee, the number of cryptojacking malware programs grew by 4,000 percent throughout 2018. Most were sent by fraudsters on messaging apps. Users looking for software to fix cryptocurrency-related problems were sent downloads purporting to be solutions to those problems.
More sneakily, some hackers attached cryptojacking extensions to versions of the open-source media player Kodi.
Given the slide in the value of Bitcoin Bitcoin While some may still be wondering what is Bitcoin, who created Bitcoin, or how does Bitcoin work, one thing is certain: Bitcoin has changed the world.No one can remain indifferent to this revolutionary, decentralized, digital asset nor to its blockchain technology.In fact, we’ve gone a long way ever since a Florida resident Laszlo Hanyecz made BTC’s first official commercial transaction with a real company by trading 10,000 Bitcoins for 2 pizzas at his local Papa John’s.One could now argue that While some may still be wondering what is Bitcoin, who created Bitcoin, or how does Bitcoin work, one thing is certain: Bitcoin has changed the world.No one can remain indifferent to this revolutionary, decentralized, digital asset nor to its blockchain technology.In fact, we’ve gone a long way ever since a Florida resident Laszlo Hanyecz made BTC’s first official commercial transaction with a real company by trading 10,000 Bitcoins for 2 pizzas at his local Papa John’s.One could now argue that Read this Term and other cryptocurrencies over the last couple of months, it will be interesting to see whether there will be an equivalent decline in the level of cryptojacking.
It is unlikely, however, that the problem will disappear entirely so prepare yourselves, Finance Magnates reader, the mining hackers are out there, and they want your computer power.