Cryptojacking

Glossary

What is Cryptojacking?

One common issue in cloud environments is cryptojacking, which is the malicious activity of cybercriminals using computer resources to mine cryptocurrency. This technique involves breaking into cloud infrastructure belonging to authorised tenants, which could have a negative financial impact on the targeted companies.

Cryptojacking is covert and can occur on personal devices like PCs, tablets, and smartphones, as well as in cloud environments without the user’s awareness. Cryptojacking scripts function invisibly, preventing data loss while stealthily using computer resources, in contrast to traditional malware. The disruptive impacts of these covert mining operations are highlighted by the victims’ obvious drops in device performance and internet connectivity, together with an increase in battery usage, even though the data is not directly affected.

Indicators of a Cryptojacking Attack

  1. Unexplained Performance Drop: The device’s resources may be being redirected for cryptomining if there is an abrupt and mysterious drop in system performance, as seen by sluggish application performance, delayed response times, or increased fan noise from overheating.
  2. Unusual CPU/GPU Usage: Unauthorised cryptocurrency mining activities may be operating in the background if monitoring tools constantly display significant CPU or GPU consumption, particularly while the system is idle or performing simple tasks.
  3. Increased Energy Consumption: Because mining cryptocurrency requires a lot of processing power, the device in question uses more energy. Unexpected increases in energy use that show up in electricity bills or sudden declines in mobile device batteries may be signs of a cryptomining attack.
  4. Suspicious Processes or Applications: Be alert for strange applications installed on the system or for unknown or suspicious processes that are running in the task manager. It takes careful research to find potential dangers because cryptomining malware frequently disguises itself to look like normal operations.
  5. Network Traffic Anomalies: Malware that mines cryptocurrency can interact with external servers or command-and-control systems in order to send or receive commands. Cryptomining activities can be identified by keeping an eye on network traffic for odd patterns, such as connections to IP addresses that are unknown or higher-than-normal data transfer quantities.

Ways to Detect Cryptojacking Attacks

 

  1. Monitoring System Performance: Maintain a regular check on the CPU and memory use of your device. Abrupt increases in the usage of resources, particularly when not in use or when performing regular chores, may be a sign of cryptojacking.
  2. Utilise Security Software: Install a reliable antivirus or anti-malware program with tools made especially to find and stop cryptojacking scripts. These apps can safeguard you in real-time from risks related to cryptocurrency mining and perform a system scan for any unusual activities.
  3. Check Task Manager or Activity Monitor: Check the Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS) on your device from time to time to see if any odd processes or apps are using up too much CPU power. Look for software names that are strange or suspicious since they might be related to cryptojacking.
  4. Browser Extensions: Make use of browser plugins or extensions that are designed specifically to identify and stop cryptojacking scripts. These add-ons can continuously scan webpages for attempts to install unauthorised cryptocurrency mining software in your browser and notify you of such efforts.
  5. Network Monitoring: Utilise network monitoring tools to keep tabs on network activity and spot any odd communication patterns or connections to domains or pools of known cryptocurrency miners. Abrupt spikes in network traffic, particularly to unknown or unfamiliar locations, could be signs of attempted cryptojacking.

How can iZOOlogic help my Company or Organisation?

Find out how iZOOlogic can protect you against Cryptojacking Attack threats with Digital Asset Management solutions.

To find out more about how iZOOlogic can help protect your company’s cyber security, schedule a demo.