LONDON (AP) – Is the web browser on your phone slower than usual? It could be mining bitcoin for criminals.
As the popularity of virtual currencies has grown, hackers are focusing on a new type of heist: putting malicious software on peoples’ handsets, TVs and smart fridges that makes them mine for digital money.
So-called “crypto-jacking” attacks have become a growing problem in the cybersecurity industry, affecting both consumers and organizations. Depending on the severity of the attack, victims may notice only a slight drop in processing power, often not enough for them to think it’s a hacking attack.
But that can add up to a lot of processing power over a period of months or if, say, a business’s entire network of computers is affected.
