You must have noticed how more and more websites are loaded with persistent ads, you simply have to click to get rid of them. For those who thought they are completely harmless, keep in mind that even clicking the x button to get rid of them, is not harmless anymore. The same goes for the news that lures you to click and read, even though you soon find out the title has nothing to do with the content. No need to mention that the suspicious photos and free content falls into the same risky category. Websites you visit via online commercials and files you download can seriously infect your computer and make a cryptocurrency mining slave. Keep this in mind every time you get intrigued by the title or an ad, and feel the urge to click.
Mining explained simply
The whole mining process is based on computer performance consumption. To simplify, people who do mining have to solve extremely complicated mathematical tasks to be able to receive a coin for the job done. So, a successfully solved mathematical puzzle results in a crypto coin. This is mining, everyone talks about. Now, to increase the chances of being successful in the process, because tons of people are performing the same activity and competing in solving these complex tasks, miners have started creating farms. The so-called mining farms are a network of a large base of computers, mining. Since the process is quite expensive, electricity and equipment-wise, they specifically look for places with cheap electricity, to decrease the costs of the activity.
If you keep asking yourself why they mine, then you haven’t been paying attention to the latest news about the rise in bitcoin value. To see what are the advantages of these coins, and understand why people are so obsessed with mining visit advfn.com.
Then why are they enslaving your computer?
It’s not just them, it’s a joint agreement between some website owners and miners, to be unified in the same goal and have mutual benefit. Both parties have an interest in enslaving your machine. People who run these websites publish the content in order to increase the traffic on it (people visiting and reading). Since people are getting smarter and more suspicious, it’s not so easy to make them click on a particular ad. Then admins saw the opportunity in selling data they have accumulated about people visiting the site, to the miners.
Then how do you know if your computer is being used for mining? Here are a couple of hints.
1. The performance is slower than usual
The first sign you have been “cryptojacked” (a term used to describe this secret mining activity), is by noticing the performance of your computer has been slower than usual. You should know this, giving the fact you’re the one using it all the time.
The starting process takes a while, programs also take time to load, as well as an internet browser. And you’re not doing anything outside your usual activity. You haven’t installed any processor consuming game, that might be the cause of slowing. The activity is the same, but the computer is way slower.
Pay special attention to the performance, because these attacks are really hard to detect. You would think that having a good anti-virus program will protect you, but no. Such attacks use a legitimate script, therefore cannot be detected by your anti-malware software.
2. The machine is overheating
Another way of recognizing, that is somehow the effect of the processor usage is overheating. Like we explained in the previous point if the activity hasn’t changed, but you notice the machine keeps overheating, it’s a signal that it might be used for mining.
You can expect this to happen in places like business venues because these computers are a bit better equipped and the chances of employees noticing are less than in private computers.
3. Electricity bill is higher than usual
Mining is a task that requires a lot of electricity and equipment with good performance. Therefore, if your electricity bill is higher than usual, but you haven’t bought any additional house appliances, it might be a signal you’ve been used.
4. You’ve been visiting suspicious websites
It happens to everyone, and it doesn’t necessarily refer to the adult content. In the first part of the article, we’ve explained how websites lure people to click by stating intriguing photos or article titles, based on which you end up being cryptojacked.
In most cases, you are being enslaved by mining activity entering your computer by using a malicious application. Its primary goal is to permanently install another app. The most common way of falling victim to this is when you visit websites for watching online movies, downloading songs, or via activation codes for downloading online content. When you search for a program to download music or movies from, while installing it you also get this application for mining, without being aware of it.
The next usual step is to run the installer, and both are inside your system already using it for mining. Once again, do not underestimate these applications, because they can act so smart you won’t even notice they are running. Some have special tricks like turning themselves off so you don’t notice the excessive usage of CPU and notice there’s something else going on parallel with your normal activity. Some can even analyze your activity and as soon as they recognize you’re doing something that requires more power, terminate mining. They can also block the work of anti-virus, and re-install the activity automatically when you delete it.
Here’s a couple of things to do in case you become a victim
The best option is to completely re-install the system, as soon as you notice some of the signs mentioned above. This is the only way to ensure you’re permanently free. After that, be aware of which websites you visit, and don’t click on the ads. It is always harmful.
