Criminals will always find ways to gain access to PCs without the owner’s permission. They will
then use the hacked computers to their favor. One recent case was a Trojan virus that infected
multiple computers then used them to mine Bitcoins, without the PC owners knowing what is
really happening.
Bitcoin is a digital currency that can be traded in the digital market. Its value may vary from time
to time so traders invest heavily on it, then selling them once the values go up. Bitcoins, being a
digital currency, can be used to purchase practically anything online.
Bitcoin mining is the method of processing the transactions that are happening in the Bitcoin
network. This secures the information in blocks, hence the name of the technology Blockchain.
Doing this requires the expense of certain resources such as hardware, energy, time, and
currencies.
Bitcoin miners are then paid for the “mining” that they do for the network and this is the part
where hackers invade other people’s PCs to make their work faster and easier. Hackers simply
create or utilize malicious programs and spread them through online conversations like Skype,
emails, and even a simple website browsing.
This unethical method of Bitcoin mining gives hackers the opportunity to earn money almost
automatically. With the Bitcoin’s rising value in the digital market, it becomes even more
tempting for crooks to illegally mine more Bitcoins. They will do their best to hack your system
just like what they did to millions of computers around the world.
How does it work?
The Trojan virus that was discovered just recently spread through Skype then forces the
infected computers to mine Bitcoins for the hacker. This method can earn the hacker more
Bitcoins (and eventually real money) faster and easier. The drawback is that the infected
computer receives too much usage that can damage it. Users will normally notice that their
computers will show lags and the CPU usage will increase tremendously.
Once the Trojan virus gets installed on somebody’s computer, the hacker gets control to your
computer, and he can now do almost anything he wants. Kaspersky Lab says that Trojan is not
only used for mining Bitcoins unethically but also for other immoral doings that is why it is highly
advised to be careful in receiving internet messages and downloading programs. It is also
crucial to have reliable antivirus software to protect you from cyber attacks.
This is not the first case of a Trojan virus invading the Bitcoin mining sector. Malicious programs
are not known to attack personal computers and perform Bitcoin mining only, but they also steal
the Bitcoin itself.
Two years ago, a Trojan virus called Badminer was spotted by Symantec. This Trojan virus
gained access illegally to obtain information from the graphical processing units which will be
used to produce Bitcoins.
Be extra careful
There are numerous solutions out there that can help you fight and prevent cyber attacks. All of
them are designed to protect you from damages and information leaks.
The first and cheapest solution you can take is to just be careful in browsing websites, receiving
and opening emails or personal messages, and downloading files and programs. Doing this
simply removes you from the chances of being attacked by hackers and your information being
stolen. There will always be websites in the internet that will lure you to download their program
without you knowing that it already contains a Trojan virus. Do not easily fall for offers that are
too good to be true because they normally contain malicious programs.
Next is getting a reliable and effective antivirus. There are many antivirus programs out there
that you can get for free, offering basic protection. If you want to get additional protection and
services, you can always get the premium version. You can also choose the package you want
if your budget is limited.
Another way to protect your PC from cyber attacks is using a VPN. VPN may not directly kill or
quarantine a virus just like what an antivirus program can do but it will create a private network
that cannot be accessed easily by non-authorized people. You would need to access multiple
security levels before getting into the system. Give this a quick read to see how free VPNs may
help you.
Conclusion
Criminals and intruders will always be around to invade your privacy and cause havoc for their
own good. Being always on guard can keep your files, records, programs, and money safe from
cyber attacks. In this era where currencies are now digital, criminals are also going cyber just to
steal. Consider the solutions mentioned above to keep your system protected.
The opinions expressed in this post belong to the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Information Security Buzz.