Did you know that your device or networks may be being used in cyber attacks without you realize? The strategy known as the cryptocurrency mining coup (Cryptojacking) is a strategy used by cybercriminals for cybermoeads mining without the owner of the device noticing . For this, they use the processing power of the devices and their network to generate cryptocurrency and make profit.
Because it is a cyber scam, this threat is implemented without the user allows, through the installation of malicious software. These software can reach the user in a variety of ways, such as phishing emails, fake ads, or corrupted files that are sent through messaging platforms.
For this reason, it is essential that your company implements an effective security strategy that helps block this threat and prevent the organization's valuable resources from being intended for cyber attacks.
How cryptocurrency mining works
Cryptocurrency mining has gained a lot of prominence in recent years because of the immense value these coins have obtained in the market. To understand how this process works, we first need to understand the functioning of cryptocurrency.
The entire cryptocurrency mining process is related to blockchain, a standard system for cryptors. This system is composed of parts of codes connected through the network. These blocks contain information that is verified as to their truth and authenticity.
While the conventional currency is printed on paper, cryptocurrency is built from the mining process. Thus, mining consists of the process of validation and inclusion of transactions within the blockchain system.
Understand more about this process:
Thus, we can understand that cryptocurrency miners act as data validating agents, without the intervention of a regulatory body for confirmation of information. These mining agents are looking for cryptocurrencies of various types , understand more about it here.
Once this information is validated, transactions can be released for its effective realization, and the miner responsible for this validation receives the stored cryptocurrencies. This whole process is only possible through some factors as we will see below:
- Digital wallet for storage, receipt and transfer of cryptocurrencies;
- Mining hardware to be able to calculate the information required by the algorithms;
- Mining software so that it is possible to connect to the mining network and mathematical problem solving.
Through these three factors, the miner can validate and verify transactions in the decentralized cryptocurrency network.
Cryptojacking: How do cybercriminals use your business resources?
Now that we understand how the cryptocurrency mining process works, it is easier to understand how this cyber scam can be implemented in your business. Cryptojacking consists of malicious software developed for cryptocurrency mining without user permission.
Through this software, the cybercriminy can use all the processing power of the infected device for its illegal mining process. Although it doesn't seem to be a big problem, this cyber threat makes you lose processing power on your business devices without the financial return Cryptojacking can deliver to criminals.
In addition to using the processing power of illegal mining devices, these cybercriminals can also use these malware as a ransomware , doing what your device and data are unavailable until paying a ransom value.
Although it is a considerably invisible cyber scam, Cryptojacking can harm and reduce the life of your devices , causing great damage to your business. For this reason, it is very important for your company to stipulate internet security that help block these threats and prevent your devices from being improperly used.
Growth of cryptocurrency mining attacks
Because it is a relatively new cyber attack, numbers related to the cryptocurrency mining blow may seem small close to other modalities. However, only in the third semester of 2022 there was a 230% increase in the attacks of this modality.
Successful attacks can use the equipment infected for months without the owner to learn, making cybercriminals have profits that go up to $ 40,000 per month. On the other hand, your company also ends up losing with the unavailability of devices processing, which can follow the loss of the profitability of its workers.
This report developed by Kaspersky has also shown that these malicious software is often hidden in movies, games, music and pirated programs , which are widely downloaded inadvertently by users . The vulnerabilities present in software without updating is also a major risk factor.
The tendency is that there is substantial growth in this type of attack, causing increasing damage to companies. This growth shows the need to use more effective security tools to block these threats and keep your devices protected.
What are the effects of the cryptocurrency mining coup?
In addition to impairing the availability and processing power of your devices, the cryptocurrency mining coup can also cause numerous damage to your company. This threat can have a direct impact on the cyber security of your organization, favoring substantial financial losses, leakage and data theft, productivity loss, and more.
It is also necessary to consider the impact of the general data protection law in the face of this type of threat. Considering that this legislation brings the paradigms and approaches necessary to maintain the privacy of your information and the assertive control of a company's system access, the invasion caused by Cryptojacking can also lead to legal problems for your company.
In this sense, it is essential to be aware of the signs that your device is being used improperly, as we will see below:
- Monitoring the unexpected increase in the use of CPU has the bandwidth used by your company;
- Network Traffic Monitoring through specific safety software;
- Navigator extension use for mining script detection.
Assertive control and monitoring of your company's network resources are the first step to ensuring the detection of this type of attack. The sooner you are noticed by your IT team, the easier it will be to block this threat and avoid the damage caused by it.
How to block unauthorized cryptocurrency mining?
As we said earlier, the key to detecting the cryptocurrency mining coup lies in monitoring your company's systems and resources. Through efficient tools it is possible to ensure that all your company's network and internet resources are being used as best as possible by your employees, without deviating your processing power for illegal activities.
Find out how your company's cyber security is walking through this Lumiun test .
To assist you, we have separated some indispensable tips for you to stay safe against cryptojacking:
Identify vulnerabilities
The first step is to determine the degree of exposure your company presents in the face of cyber threats . It is essential to have a complete knowledge of security resources that are implemented by the organization and what are the best strategies for maintaining your data and devices protected.
To determine threat vectors that can harm your business, you can perform a security test . This test will allow your team to understand what are the main flaws and improvement points within your organization's devices.
Credential protection
It is very common for cybercriminals to use this type of vulnerability to be able to access your company's devices and install misappropriate malicious software. For this reason it is paramount that users pay attention to the credentials of their respective accounts.
In this sense, it is important for the company to create an Internet access policy that delivers paradigms and protocols to be applied as a way to increase the safety of networks and devices. One of these protocols is the creation of safer passwords for the access of company software and systems.
Restriction of access to the cloud and configuration of access privilege
We know that cloud access is one of the most used features today, allowing secure file storage and access to software without the need for installation. For this reason, cloud access restriction is a key step in increasing the safety of your business.
For this to be possible it is necessary to study what are the levels of access and which employees need to have confidential documents and files , reducing vulnerabilities and preventing cybercriminals from having access to this type of information.
Monitoring
Monitoring your company's network resources is critical in the Cryptojacking detection process. This type of cyber attack can be noted through changes in the use of the CPU and also in your company's bandwidth.
Proper monitoring will allow blocking and mitigating damage to such scams. For this it is essential to use reliable security software that presents all the tools you need to keep your business safer.
In addition, there are some precautions that can be implemented so that your employees can protect themselves from this kind of cyber threat:
- Use of reliable antivirus software to verify files and documents before their effective opening;
- Using a ad blocker to block malicious advertisements that can cryptocurrency mining malware
- Maintain all systems and software used by your company updated to the effective correction of vulnerabilities and possible failures;
- Make sure your employees download files and software only from reliable sources avoiding third party websites;
- Use Internet Access Control Software to prevent your employees from having access to non -reliable pages or cyber traps.
When we deal with modern cyber threats, it is essential to have the most complete resources on the market. These tools will be prepared to deal with these threats through equally modern resources such as artificial intelligence.
The role of Firewall DNS in the Cryptojack Block
Firewall DNS is an evolution of conventional firewall processes, allowing your business to have more security, assertive control and continuous monitoring in access to your company's network. What differentiates this feature from traditional firewall is that this tool can act more broadly avoiding the loss, blockade and compromise of information.
Acting through DNA (DNA Name System), Firewall DNS allows your company to more efficiently control the access made, isolate devices that are compromised, identifying threats automatically, identifying threats with the help of artificial intelligence. Thus, it allows the efficient monitoring of your company's digital resources and makes it difficult to access cybercriminals to your devices.
This means that with the help of this tool, your IT team can identify threats more proactively and prevent threats like Cryptojacking from causing your organization problems. Considering that the essence of protection against this threat lies in monitoring, Firewall DNS provides unique resources to ensure the protection of the digital environment.
DNS -based threats are extremely harmful and can negatively impact the smooth running of your company's activities. In addition to endangering your networks and devices, these attacks can also make your services unavailable to consumers. Understand more about these DNS -based threats .
Advantages of Firewall DNS for your company's safety
Because it is such a complete resource, Firewall DNS can provide many benefits for your organization. Lumiun has DNS -based products and has complete and intuitive tools . See below for its main benefits:
Allows for greater internet control of your company
Currently, the vast majority of organizations depends on the internet to keep their activities and resources always available. Having more control over this tool is critical to maintaining productivity and avoiding possible problems caused by cyber threats.
In addition, internet access control will also allow you to be more completely managed by the resources used by your employees, preventing them from using internet resources to access social networks , Whatsapp, YouTube, Games and bets, among others. The goal here is to ensure productivity and keep your employees away from cyber problems.
Through the web content filter, your business will be able to exert a more complete control over your organization's access and network traffic. Thus, it can be used to block access to malicious or inappropriate content and also block possible invasions from malicious devices or sites.
Optimizes your safety strategy
In addition to providing assertive monitoring of your company's resources, Firewall DNS also allows you to block malicious links, prevent employees from accessing phishing sites , blocking unknown links, and more. Tools of this type, such as Lumiun DNS , also allow to block access to ads considered malicious, violent and adult content that can also be harmful to the organization's devices.
Firewall DNS also plays a prominent role against ransomware attacks , managing to identify and mitigate these threats more efficiently and completely.
Increases your team's productivity
In addition to acting completely in your organization's security strategy, Firewall DNS is also responsible for improving your team's productivity . By blocking harmful sites and pages considered inappropriate for the work environment, Firewall DNS ensures that its employees focus on what is really important for the organization.
Through this tool you can determine which categories and pages should be blocked to maintain the company's safety and productivity. It is also possible to determine the times where access is allowed to ensure smarter control.
The indiscriminate use of the internet within the workplace can be very risky and cause numerous damage to the company. In addition to increasing risk in the face of cyber threats, it can also provide a great loss of productivity, impacting profitability and business results
Increases the protection of your company's devices and network
Active security filters, along with malicious pages, help devices to remain healthier and protected. These strategies allow the Internet band available to perform the activities within the company to be used due and prevents devices from being infected due to improper access made during working hours.
Allied to this benefit, the use of Firewall DNS will also help your business reduce costs with maintenance and replacement of devices due to cyber attacks.
Contributes to the reduction of costs with training and training in cyber security
We know that even with a training course and creation of an internet access policy , it is common for employees to end up accessing improper pages during working hours. This indiscriminate internet access causes numerous damage to your organization.
Firewall DNS allows assertive control of these resources and prevents its employees from losing focus on important tasks due to improper access, as well as avoiding access to malicious pages.
As we have seen throughout this article, the cryptocurrency mining blow can be an extremely harmful silent threat, and it is essential that your business is preparing as best as possible to avoid the damage caused by this type of attack. Count on the help of technology to ensure more complete and intelligent protection of your company's resources, ensuring that there is continuous monitoring of the tools and devices used daily.
How to block cryptocurrency mining now!
Lumiun Lumiun DNS stands out once again by presenting an important addition to its set of protective tools: the blocking filter against “cryptocurrency mining” . This new feature aims to prevent the unauthorized use of your devices to minister cryptocurrencies, a practice that can compromise the performance and integrity of your network. By proactively acting against this silent threat, Lumiun DNS reinforces its company's digital security, ensuring that its resources remain protected against unwanted activities.
To first experience the effectiveness of this new filter and strengthen the digital defense of your corporate environment, we invite you to perform a free Lumiun DNS .
