Video games have been around for ages. However, technology has improved and games have become more sophisticated. More people than ever are playing especially online. Did you know hackers can cause injuries? Read this BBC report and make sure your devices are protected.
Bullets rained down from all angles but Abdelrhman Badr kept calm. Suddenly an enemy burst through a window. Abdelrhman swung round to face the soldier and save his team. He lined up his sights for a fatal shot and squeezed the trigger but… his screen went black.
All of a sudden his computer shut itself down without warning. The game he was playing had never caused problems before. He reached down and looked inside his computer, which he liked to leave open and on display in his bedroom.
Instinctively he touched one of the components, swore and pulled his hand back. The graphics card was so hot it had burned his fingers. The 18-year-old from Sheffield hadn’t realised it yet, but this minor injury was caused by crypto-jacking.
Cybercriminals are always on the lookout for clever ways to turn new technology into money-making opportunities. Cryptojacking is one of their latest innovations
What is cryptojacking?
Crypto-jacking is the unauthorised and illegal use of someone’s computer to collect Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies. Criminals are using ransomware-like tactics and poisoned websites to get your employees’ computers to mine cryptocurrencies. Here’s what you can do to stop it.
Cryptojacking is the unauthorized use of someone else’s computer to mine cryptocurrency. Hackers do this by either getting the victim to click on a malicious link in an email that loads cryptomining code on the computer. They can also or infect a website or use an online advert with JavaScript code. This will auto-executes once loaded within the victim’s browser.
How cryptojacking works
Cryptojackers have more than one way to enslave your computer. One method works like classic malware. You click on a malicious link in an email and it loads cryptomining code directly onto your computer. Once your computer is infected, the cryptojacker starts working around the clock to mine cryptocurrency while staying hidden in the background. Because it resides on your PC, it’s local—a persistent threat that has infected the computer itself.
An alternative cryptojacking approach is sometimes called drive-by cryptomining. Similar to malicious advertising exploits, the scheme involves embedding a piece of JavaScript code into a Web page. After that, it performs cryptocurrency mining on user machines that visit the page.
How to prevent cryptojacking and make sure your secure
We are unable to help you level up or give you any tips to improve your gaming. We would recommend that you do not touch any parts of your computer systems. The story above illustrates, hackers cause you injuries. Leave it to the experts.
However, contact the LIS Help Desk to make sure your business systems are protected. We offer the latest Anti-Virus, Anti-Spam and Office 365 Security packages. Protect your company with our IT support contract. This gives you peace of mind to enjoy your pastimes – or maybe the latest online game 😀.
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