More and more users are exposed to a cyber-attack; from ransomware to malware and now Cryptojacking.
SonicWall, a company dedicated to the control of content and network security released a report that talks about 2019 threats globally in terms of cybercrime.
According to the report, the ransomware grew 15% in the world and malware attacks on the Internet of Things increased up to 55%. However, a figure that attracts attention is the volume of Cryptojacking, whose increase registered 9%.
What is Cryptojacking?
We talked with Roberto Campos, director of SonicWall Channels for Mexico, and he explained the meaning and implications of this new threat.
Cryptojacking is a threat that is born from the cryptocurrency and is hidden in a computer or mobile device to use its resources and thus extract various forms of digital currencies.
This practice is designed to remain completely hidden from the user and can take over web browsers, as well as compromise all types of devices.
Instead of building a computer dedicated to mining, cybercriminals use Cryptojacking to steal the computing resources of their victims’ devices.
If you are a victim of Cryptojacking, how can you identify it?
According to the expert, it is practically impossible to know if a cybercriminal already has the device and users realize when they have already been robbed and their cryptocurrencies disappear.
“hat’s where they take action to see what happened with that machine. Users realize when they have already been stolen. Identifying that cryptocurrencies are going to be stolen is difficult, but there are tools and ways to protect yourself,” he said.
What can be done to avoid being a victim of Cryptojacking?
There are various guidelines that users or companies must carry out to avoid suffering a cyber attack. Roberto Campos emphasized the importance of supporting our information.
The first thing to do is to back up the information because that is the valuable thing about a machine. If you lose your device, the hardware hurts, but if you have a backup, you can recover everything.
Similarly, in order to maintain the safety of the devices, Campos recommended that the external and internal perimeter be protected.
Protecting the external perimeter refers to all those connections that a user has from his machine to the street or the Internet and from the Internet to the device.
On the other hand, the internal perimeter refers to the same location where there are many interconnected devices. 50% of cyber attacks come from within the same network because users can spread malicious software without being aware of it.
« Users must be educated. If we do not train or try to inform users to know what to open and what not to open, where to enter and where not to enter, it will be difficult to protect any network. 80% of cyberattacks are caused by human error, “said the channel director of SonicWall.
What can be done if you were already a victim of Cryptojacking and your cryptocurrencies disappeared?
Any. Unfortunately, nothing can be done about it. The cryptocurrency is not endorsed by third parties and therefore there is no government or legal regulation to recover the loss.
Therefore, it is very important to protect this digital medium of exchange.
“Mexico is not legislated in that aspect of cryptocurrency, nor of technological crimes,” he warned.
However, few people handle cryptocurrencies, so the increase in Cryptojacking is insignificant.