Cyber-attacks are quite common nowadays. As a result, CTOs and CIOs are always on their toes to update their systems every now and then. In May 2017, the WannaCry ransomware was one such attack that affected nearly 74 countries on a full-scale basis by infecting computers and servers there. This attack was a one of its kind cyber-attack that focused solely on hijacking systems and demanding ransom in return for the information stored. The hackers opted for cryptocurrency as a form of payment, as the same would help in keeping their identities anonymous. Cryptocurrency is famous for reasons both good and bad. If someone wants to mine cryptocurrency, they have to work in sync with other crypto miners that want to obtain some amount of the same. Cryptojacking is a type of security threat that is not known to many people. However, the worst part is, people do not even know when they are cryptojacking. CTOs and CIOs should worry when their systems start getting slow and processes are taking longer than usual to complete. Chances are their systems might be mining for somebody in the background because cryptojacking does not even require any software to install, just a JavaScript program is enough for you to start mining for anyone.

What is cryptojacking and how it works?

A visit to an infected website is all it takes for a user’s system to be cryptojacked. When a user visits an infected webpage, a JavaScript code gets installed on her computer and runs on almost every website that the user visits. This running JavaScript results in the user is getting cryptojacked and their systems start mining cryptocurrency.

One of the crucial reasons why authorities should worry about cryptojacking is because the JavaScript code does not require installation and no authentication is needed for their systems to initiate cryptomining. For every page you open, cryptomining initiates for someone else and system owners do not even know about it.

When a system is cryptojacked, it starts getting slower as their processing power is being used to mine cryptocurrency for someone else. Other systems connected to the network can also be used to extract cryptocurrency by converting them into a network of botnets. One of the primary currency that is being mined using cryptojacking is Monero.

How can cryptojacking be avoided?

For a user to avoid cryptojacking, she has to confirm that her system is cryptojacked. To know this, users have to check their system’s computing power and CPU usage. If the CPU usage fluctuates and behaves abnormally, the system could be cryptojacked and in no time you might be mining cryptocurrency for other people.

There are numerous ways in which a user can avoid cryptojacking. Ad blockers can assist a user in blocking any malicious code entering the system that could lead to cryptojacking. Any software update patches should be made immediately; an outdated software can behave as a backdoor inviting attackers to initiate cryptojacking.

Visiting suspicious websites could also lead to your systems being hijacked and used for mining cryptocurrency for someone else. Apart from avoiding visits to malware prone websites, users can also enable the firewall and install intrusion detection systems that can be effective in notifying users of any abnormal usage of their system.

As cryptojacking is slowing down systems and decreasing the pace at which businesses operate, it has become a concern for authorities across several industries. CTOs and CIOs can now focus on how they can educate their employees about the threat of cryptojacking and how they can use technology to avoid cyber-attacks and other infected websites that can leave their organization vulnerable to hackers.