Home Tech How to Block Cryptocurrency Miners in Your Web Browser

How to Block Cryptocurrency Miners in Your Web Browser

 

With the rise of Cryptocurrency now some websites is using their visitors PC for mining cryptocurrency. That sneakily harness your PC’s processing power to ‘mine’ for the cryptocurrency.

Recently my one Facebook friend shared his problem on his facebook timline. Where he mentioned that when he visiting the below-mentioned website on his PC performance of PC is going down and after checking the Task manager, he found that some process running related to mining.

How to Block Cryptocurrency Miners in Your Web Browser

Then I decided to write the solution for my visitors to stop this issue.

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Way to Block Cryptocurrency Miners in Your Web Browser

Google Chrome:- I recommended a Chrome extension called MinerBlock
(Download Now) to stop them.

MinerBlock is an efficient browser extension that focuses on blocking web-based cryptocurrency miners all over the web.

This extension uses two different approaches to block miners. The first one is based on blocking requests/scripts loaded from a list of blacklisted domains, this is the traditional approach adopted by ad-blockers and other mining blockers.

The other approach which makes MinerBlock more efficient against cryptojacking is detecting potential mining behavior inside loaded scripts and killing it immediately.

This makes the extension able to block inline scripts as well as miners running through proxies.

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Opera:-

How to Block Cryptocurrency Miners in Your Web Browser

You can get the same protection in Opera by installing a new add-on called Mining Blocker (Download Now), which scans websites for mining processes and code, and disables them before the site loads. The crypto-blocker then checks the site again after it has loaded to ensure no miner is running. It blocks more than 20 known cryptocurrency miners including CoinHive, JSEcoin and Minecrunch.

Firefox:-

No coin Download Now is a tiny browser extension aiming to block coin miners such as Coinhive. It features an easy way to allow miners for a limited time in case you need to pass a captcha or shortlink requiring mining.

Check If a Website is Secretly Mining Cryptocurrency:-

With https://whoismining.com/ , you are  easily able to checks if a website is secretly mining crypto currency abusing visitors CPU power or no without installating any plugin in your brower. You just need to enter website URL.

How to Block Cryptocurrency Miners in Your Web Browser

How These websites are using their website for mining:-

This one is is the question that came to everyone mind how these websites owners are implementing these mining solutions to their website. after some research i came on the conclusion it’s too easy if there website is running on WordPress platform.

There are lot’s of WordPress Plugin available for this job ,” WP Monero Miner using Coin Hive” is the one.

If you are website owner, i will recommend you don’t use your website for mining, visitors are always important and be lowel with them.

How to Block Cryptocurrency Miners in Your Web Browser

What is cryptojacking?

Cryptojacking refers to the secret, unauthorised use of your computer, phone or another web-connected device to mine cryptocurrency. It’s become hugely popular among hackers over the past few months, providing an easy way for them to earn digital money at the expense of other people’s hardware.

How does it work?

Usually, hackers fool you into installing malware by getting you to click dodgy links or by hiding it in innocuous-looking downloads. Conversely, cryptojacking inserts a JavaScript component into a website or an ad displayed on a web page. When you visit a compromised site, the malware runs instantly – without you clicking anything – and forces your device to work for the bad guys.

Does cryptojacking infect my device?

No. Although your PC’s processing power is used to mine cryptocurrency, no code
is stored on your PC and the mining generally stops when you close the page. We say “generally” because according to Malwarebytes Labs, hackers are now using hidden browser windows – so-called ‘pop-unders’ that fit under the Windows taskbar and behind the clock .

How to Block Cryptocurrency Miners in Your Web Browser
Malwarebytes has been fanning the flames about the threat of cryptojacking

This method continues to mine cryptocurrency when you close a web page, but you can spot it by making the taskbar transparent.

What software is being used?

The JavaScript miner that’s getting all the attention is called Coinhive (coinhive.com). It’s a legitimate tool, designed to be embedded in websites to mine a legal cryptocurrency
called Monero (getmonero.org).

It’s meant to give site owners an alternative revenue stream to online advertising, by getting visitors to mine the digital currency on their behalf. The problem is that greedy hackers are forcing Coinhive on to other people’s websites, without permission, and using it to make money.

What is the miner actually doing?

It’s trying to solve a host of fiendishly difficult mathematical problems, the likes of which you’ve no chance of calculating in your head. With each solution – known as a hash – the person instructing the mining is rewarded with a portion of cryptocurrency. By controlling lots of machines, criminals make more money.

So, is cryptojacking harmful?

Not in the sense that your personal or financial details are at risk. On the whole, cryptojacking is a lesser online evil, certainly when compared to ransomware,
but it can still harm your hardware.

For example,crypto mining Trojan called Loapi seeks access to the administrative rights of your Android phone and can put a handset under so much strain that it kills it.

There’s also a good chance that you will find your computer or device slows on certain websites or lags when you perform an action. Cryptomining eats away at your electricity, too, which
could result in a huge monthly bill.

And is the problem growing?

Absolutely. Researchers working for ad blocker Adguard (adguard.com) say cryptojacking scripts were found on more than 33,000 sites last November and that the problem grew by 31% in one month. Security firm Sophos also said Coinhive usage rose during December.

Hope my article “How to Block Cryptocurrency Miners in Your Web Browser” helps you to Block Cryptocurrency Miners in Your Web Browser. If you have any query, feel free to comment.