Cryptojacking

Cryptojacking

Cryptojacking is a form of cybercrime where an unauthorized user hijacks a computer or network’s processing power to mine Cryptocurrency without the owner’s consent. This malicious activity can occur through malicious scripts inserted into websites or through infected software, often resulting in slower system performance, increased electricity costs, and potential damage to hardware.

Examples

• Coinhive: A notorious example where a mining script was embedded in websites, allowing the site owner to mine Monero using visitors’ CPU resources without their knowledge.
• Malware: Certain malware variants, such as the WannaMine malware, have been designed to infect systems and utilize their processing power to mine cryptocurrencies like Monero.

Cases

• 2017 Browser Mining Surge: A significant spike in cryptojacking incidents occurred in 2017 as Cryptocurrency prices soared, leading many websites to adopt mining scripts as a Revenue source.
• Tesla Incident: In 2018, hackers exploited a vulnerability in Tesla’s Kubernetes environment to deploy cryptojacking malware, mining Bitcoin using Tesla’s cloud resources.