Flash content is still popular on the web, and to view it web users often need to update their flash player – unless you use Chrome of course. This has led cryptojackers to inject their malware-ridden Adobe Flash Player update into a large number of sites. When users visit the site, they will be told their flash is out of date and it will trigger the genuine Adobe Flash Player update box to appear. While most of the time these cryptojackers will actually install the latest version – simply to remain undetected – it will also contain a crypto mining script.
Cryptojackers Stepping up Their Game
Cryptojackers are looking for more creative ways to infect computers, as people are becoming savvier to their methods. Unfortunately, this new method has the ability to fool even the most advanced PC users. The new fake Adobe update will fool many people, as the flash player so frequently needs updating, hence why it’s fooling so many people. There is also a good chance that the mining script will go undetected by most anti-virus scanners, meaning there is an increased chance of being hit by an attack.
Cryptojacking on the Rise
A recent study showed that cryptojacking cases in a one-year period have risen by over 400% compared to the same time period a year previous. This worrying statistic highlights the dangers of cryptojacking and its prevalence. Staying safe on the web has never been more important. While cryptojackers aren’t looking for your seed phrases or private keys, they are looking to steal your computer’s processing power in order to mine cryptos. In many ways, that is worse than actually stealing your cryptos.
Routers Being Targeted
One of the easiest ways for cryptojackers to scoop a huge haul is to hit routers. If cryptojackers can infect a handful of routers, they can turn every machine connected to that router into a crypto mining rig. In South America, over 200,000 MikroTik routers were hit with a cryptojacking script. The security flaw had been patched almost six months prior by the hardware firm, but many users were unaware they had to update the firmware. In fact, the same bug has been exploited in India with nearly 30,000 routers being infected. One Twitter user noted that the script was in his router’s firmware fresh from the internet service provider, hinting that the ISP had been the subject of an attack rather than the router’s new owner.
Staying Safe
Staying safe from cryptojacking can be a difficult task, especially as cryptojackers are upping their game every week. One of the best ways to avoid being hit is simply to keep everything up to date – and only download software from reputable sources. Don’t download Flash Player updates from third-party websites, go directly to the Flash website – or just use Google Chrome, it handles that for you. If you want a more comprehensive guide on how to stay safe from cryptojacking, don’t panic. We have put together an easy to understand and complete guide on how to protect your devices and home network from cryptojackers – we are just that kind here at BitStarz News.
Cryptojacking cases are on the rise, and this figure will only continue to grow over time. There are steps you can take to keep yourself safe, but danger is lurking around every corner. If you quickly notice that you have been hit, you can load up task manager and end the script. Once you have done so you can expel it from your machine. Just don’t leave it too long as it could do a lot of damage to your hardware.
