Cryptocurrency is a critical system of currency that works completely digital. The system is open-source and available for all but also ensures anonymity very easily. Recently, cryptocurrency miners are being loaded into web browsers that use your CPU power to mine different cryptocurrencies.
What is cryptocurrency mining
Before you understand how serious this issue is, you have to realize how cryptocurrency works. Let’s start with Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency of all. The total possible number of available Bitcoin is 21 million – nothing more. But not all the coins currently exist – they have to be mined by solving different math puzzles with the help of computers. This method requires a huge hardware resource to calculate and solve all the puzzles. The solver gets Bitcoin as a reward. Mining requires an algorithm and a computer to run the algorithm.
Websites now use your web browser to run that algorithm and your hardware to perform the heavy job. This process is called “cryptojacking”. Many websites are using this method to earn some extra money. The perfect example is CoinHive. It uses a JavaScript tool to mine on your browser.
Cryptojacking
Why is cryptojacking bad? Well, it’s a controversial topic. Some think it’s okay, some think it’s bad. However, it’s a bad trait overall. Normally, cryptocurrency mining methods are HEAVILY resource-hungry. It forces your processor to work on overload and using more power. This overload work is dangerous for hardware like CPU – the more work, the more heat generation that gradually leads to permanent damage. Moreover, when browsing the website, your other works will become very slow as your CPU is busy in mining.
There are different websites that use such mining tool on their website. For example, The Pirate Bay (caution – it’s a torrent website with illegal content) is a torrent site. They integrated the CoinHive JavaScript to run in the web browsers of its viewers. They claim that it’s their alternative method to earn some extra money instead of showing the annoying ads. It’s the first popular website that took this measure.
Why would you burn your PC? There’s no need for such an overload on your computer. Cryptocurrency mining is so resource-hungry that there are numerous different mining hardware available that are specially designed for mining. PC is never a suitable solution for mining.
How to stay secured
By far, CoinHive is the most popular miner that websites use. However, other mining tools are always floating in websites. For blocking such heinous tools, you can use several methods.
- Install Adblock – It’s one of the most popular extensions for all the browsers. There’s a default cryptocurrency blocking method available. The extension is available for Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Edge. Get Adblock.
- Use a security solution – Security vendors are always checking the web for cyber issues. By default, a security software will block the mining tool from the web. CoinHive successfully fooled a few security software, but all the companies are always evolving to defend the latest threats. Check out the top 10 security solutions.
- Block CoinHive – CoinHive is the most popular one in such actions. The file that is used can be blocked using custom filters. Block “coin-hive.com/lib/coinhive.min.js” using Adblock Plus.
The bottom line
Fortunately, the tool doesn’t steal sensitive info. Recently, other malicious miner tools are affecting PCs. Zealot is one of them. Learn more how to stay protected from Zealot.
