Cryptojacking is a term similar to hijacking where someone gets hold of your personal stuff without your consent. So, if you are completely new to this term, then this article can prove to be a helpful one for you as we shall learn the different aspects related to cryptojacking.
You might be noticing that the world of cryptocurrency is gaining more popularity day by day. Not only investors are gaining benefits from it, but cybercriminals are also taking this as an opportunity to make it vulnerable.
To use the Cryptojacking Blocking feature, it is necessary for a person to download the McAfee WebAdvisor browser on his device via McAfee.com/Activate. With this extension, the said feature is already present and will prevent the said websites from loading.
How does cryptojacking take place?
The mining of crypto is quite expensive because it is a complex process that cannot be undertaken by most of us and it also requires you to use several pieces of equipment.
To keep away from this expenditure, certain cryptojackers have found out another way to mine digital currency. They create fake websites that keep running in the background of the actual ones. In turn, the cryptojackers may make use of your PC without you knowing about it. This way, they use a lot of PCs to mine digital currencies that too at no cost.
What is McAfee’s take for this?
To prevent the illegal mining of cryptocurrency, McAfee has come up with a solution. It has developed a feature in its browser extension known as McAfee WebAdvisor. In this extension, you will find a feature called ‘Cryptojacking Blocking’. This feature will eventually prevent the cryptojackers from getting hold of the essential resources (CPU, processor, and memory) of your system. This will further result in safeguarding your computer from getting into the wrong hands.
Now, we will learn about certain symptoms that tell you your computer has been cryptojacked.
Telltale signs of a compromised computer
There are some clear signs that tell you if your computer has been hacked or not. Here is the list:
- You will experience that your computer is not working as it should be.
- You find out that the battery of your device is draining very quickly or the charging process has been slowed down.
- Other than this, you are hearing annoying noises from your device.
- It is using a lot of power for completing certain tasks.
- Your device starts to work abruptly.
What can you do?
In case you are experiencing any such unusual activity on your computer, then it is sure that your device has been compromised. Hence, you should enable the ‘Cryptojacking Blocking’ feature immediately and close the websites you are currently using. Disabling the internet might also help for getting immediate assistance. You may also use the ‘Task Manager’ of your device to know what is bothering your PC.