Community Monero (XMR) has announced the launch of the website Monero Malware Response, which aims to teach users ways of “cleaning” computers, software, mining the cryptocurrency at their expense, and opposition to viruses extortionists.
As you know, the ease of extraction and privacy are the main characteristics of Coyne Monero. Of course, this attracts those who want to earn using special software for mining, which wastes resources of the user.
According to Director of Malware Response Workgroup Ehrenhofer Justin (Justin Ehrenhofer), from the point of view of hackers special attraction XMR give her two characteristics:
“Hackers like Monero for two reasons: 1) it is confidential, and they don’t need to worry about the companies and law enforcement agencies that monitor what they do with Monero after you extract it, and 2) Monero uses an algorithm Proof of Work (PoW), which is suitable for the Central (CPU) and graphic (GPU) processors, thus, the infected machine best. These two components have increasingly become the distinguishing factors behind the choice of the hackers in favor of the mining Monero compared to other cryptocurrencies”.
Of course the option to use bitcoin when using malware is not only about Monero. Bitcoin and other digital currencies have been used for the same attacks, but especially highlights the XMR privacy coin. In this regard, the extent of use Monero for such purposes are rising.
“We created this working group in order to help the victims of such miningwatch attacks and attacks using virus-extortionist, who often know nothing about what Monero, bitcoin mining, cryptocurrency… the increasing spread of malware related to Monero, emphasized the necessity of establishing a working group,” said Edenhofer.
A new website Malware Response informs the user about how to prevent attacks and malware removal. As expected, the developers, who have already suffered, will find here the answers to your questions — it is assumed that many do not understand what is happening with their computer.
In addition to the ability to detect whether it works on your computer with malware, the site offers a range of retaliatory measures against three types of attacks: script for mining in browser malware-based systems/PC and ransomware.
It is worth noting that the scripts for mining Monero sometimes placed in the browser as opt-in choice for visitors, those agreeing to an innovative way of funding sites. So, the site Slate.com suggested users feature hashing as an alternative to using advertising. If readers agree, the browser can mine Monero with the resources of their computers while they use your website. Sometimes this happens in the case if users consent is not given: it is reported that the torrent tracker The Pirate Bay in the summer, resumed its hidden mining, offering attentive and dissenters to abandon the use of the site or install adBlocker.
And yet hackers can insert such scripts into the code of the vulnerable sites on their own, without the knowledge of webmasters and users, what is known as “cryptogenic” (eng. cryptojacking). As reported by McAfee labs, which develops anti-virus system in the second quarter of 2018, the scale of illegal cryptogamia increased by 86%, as compared to last year — a shocking 459%, mainly due to leaks from national security Agency USA (NSA).
Since the NSA (and Microsoft) have already pleaded guilty, one would expect that they initiated the creation of a learning resource, similar to the new Monero website.
Given that cryptogamie attack pretty new to webmasters and Internet users, and sometimes even quite complex, awareness in this area plays a key role in the rapid detection and response to security breach.
As noted Edenhofer, community Monero is not going to put up with any of the manifestations of malicious activity that uses coin.
“The coin and Monero community do not attack computers, but computers are victims of attacks, when some vulnerability, and a hacker decides to run software for mining on compromised machines,” — said the Director of the Malware Response Workgroup.
Recall, according to a study by scientists from Germany, only one code Coinhive allows attackers to earn up to a quarter of a million dollars in Monero a month, while criminal prosecutions have already been made in respect of persons seeking to earn so, in China and Japan.
