This week, we’ve been looking ahead to the new year and the cybersecurity threats we’re all going to be facing.
Yesterday we looked at Ransomware. Click here to read that article. Today we count down to the 4th biggest issue on our list.
THREAT #4: CRYPTOJACKERS
Over the past year, crypto attacks became one of the most fast-growing threats. Having gone through the roof in 2017, cryptocurrency is now developing faster than anyone could predict.
Cryptocurrency is a digital form of exchange that replaces traditional money for online exchanges. An example is Bitcoin.
Obviously, cybercriminals could not miss the opportunity to steal or generate as many bitcoins as possible.
Mining is the only way to get it, without buying it. Mining is a process by which you agree to allow your computer’s resources to be used to solve complex math problems to verify other cryptocurrency transactions. But mining uses a lot of computer resources. Cryptojackers would rather use your computer’s resources than theirs.
There are two types of cryptojackers attacks – one of them is a web-based script that penetrates a system when the victim visits a malicious website and the other is attached to common malware that infects your computer. The attack is not easy to identify, although it slows down a PC’s speed. The best way to protect your system from such attacks is using special browser extensions like No Coin or Miner Block.
Tomorrow, we check out part 3.
~ Dean Chester
Author’s bio: Dean Chester is a tech enthusiast, computer geek, and founder of www.cooltechzone.com. This site was created as a non-profit project; it neither sells anything nor advertises any IT product. Together with his brother, Dean is struggling for the internet that is open, globally connected, trustworthy, secure and available to everyone.