Drive-by mining

Drive-By Mining is a term used to refer to a malicious activity performed by hackers, in which they attempt to take advantage of the computing power of unsuspecting user’s computer to illegally mine cryptocurrency. This activity can be used to either directly or indirectly benefit the hacker, without necessarily being noticed by the user. It is generally done without the user’s consent or knowledge and is often done in the background while a user is browsing the web or using an application.

Drive-By Mining is usually done by abusing the JS code of a website, which is then used to force the browser of the user’s computer to run code to create a cryptocurrency mining pool. The code is designed to continuously run in the background, consuming the user’s computer CPU power and possibly their GPU power to generate revenue in the form of digital currency for the malicious individual. The activity may be made possible by different JavaScript libraries, such as Coinhive, Crypto-Loot, or CryptoNoter.

Drive-By mining has become a major security risk as it can be used to mine digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero, Dash and Zcash in order to generate cryptocurrency profits without the user’s knowledge. Not only does this reduce the overall system performance of the user’s machine, but it can also lead to irreversible damage to the computer’s hardware. Furthermore, this type of attack often acts as a gateway for other malicious activities that can be done with access to a user’s system.

Although it has become popular due to its low cost and ease of access, it is important to recognize the risks associated with this method of malicious activity. To protect yourselves from being a target of drive-by mining, it is essential to make sure that your system is regularly updated and maintained in order to eliminate potential security vulnerabilities. Furthermore, disabling the JavaScript in your browser will help to deter malicious attackers. Finally, always make sure to access trustworthy websites and avoid clicking on suspicious links.