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Cyber Risks · Unit 42 Palo Alto Networks

2 Minute Threat Brief: Browser Cryptocurrency Mining

Summary: Unit 42 reported that attackers compromise websites and abuse a legitimate tool on those sites to hijack visitors' browsers for cryptocurrency mining, stealing compute resources and exchanging them for cryptocurrency credit. The activity runs without the user's consent or knowledge for the duration of the visit, causes no long-term damage, ends when the user leaves the site or closes the browser, and typically shows up only as a noticeable slowdown in system performance.

Key Takeaway: Unit 42 notes this model yields higher returns than malware and exploit attacks, so the incentive to compromise a site and monetize its visitors is now stronger than the one behind conventional intrusions. The compromise leaves the site working normally, so neither visitors nor the site's owners have an obvious signal beyond slower machines.

Read the original at Unit 42 Palo Alto Networks ↗

Topics
Malware
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