Cryptojacking and Script extensions and add-ons? What to look for?

[SyncroScales]

Hello,

I was updating Firefox, Chrome and Chromium. I installed some add-on's and noticed a few new ones. They were about Cryptojacking.

Read the Tom's Hardware article The Rise Of Cryptojacking And How To Stop It
by Lucian Armasu December 29, 2017 at 9:45 AM - Source: Bad Packets Report (via Twitter): http/www.tomshardware.com/news/rise-cryptojacking-stop-malicious-miners,36193.html

I usually use ScriptSafe (Chrome and Chromium) and No-Script (Firefox).

It is not a problem to use a program where I have to read the information on the web-page and allow it or not. But I have to setup some extensions and add-on's for some other people and they need ease of use. Their computer's, tablets, laptop's, phones seem to be affected by this dishonest approach to use another's computer, bandwidth, resources, hardware, etc and make money.

OS's being used are Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 10 and Linux.

How can you tell what the scripts or options are that need to be ignored and disabled? When I open ScriptSafe and No-Script there are very clear options and descriptions, or just a bunch of numbers and letters. It can be guess work and I assume that when more people block the cryptojacking attempts, the scripts and code will change and maybe on a timer?

From what I read Script blockers are the most efficient. But is it a problem to have multiple cryptojacking blocking extensions and add-ons to cover the different types of attacks? It is assumed that multiple add-ons can interfere with each other.

Any other information or articles and web-sites would be great.

Thank you.

 

[marksavio]

i wouldnt worry too much about it if i were you. as long as you have an adblocker, and any free 3rd party security software. thats enough. once you will notice a jump on your CPU usage. then thats when you should be concerned. a cryptojack is easy to remove and detected.

 

[SyncroScales]

Thanks for the reply marksavio.

So cryptojacking is installing malware onto your computer like the "super-cookies" or Flash-cookies that last a very long time? Or malware.

It's not like a script to run video or ads on a news site? Not yet anyways?

The malware programs are always up to date. What do malware programs name these threats?

I had to shut off Adblock Plus on someone's Google Chrome Browser because the www.msn.com web-site would not let them access it anymore. I have not figured out what the problem is. Their system is slightly more vulnerable. I cannot always go to their comptuer/devices and diagnose the CPU spikes and other problems. I am trying to get them to switch away from Windows 10 also.

 

[marksavio]

adblock plus allows the user to manually put a whitelist/exception on some sites. you dont have to disable or uninstall it. sounds like youre a sysadmin. you have to install a whitelist application software. this basically controls whats allowed to run in your client PCs. trend micro has excellent service on that. or you can try a free solution like appsamvid if your company doesnt want to invest on added software. but i think thats a bit of overkill and your clients dont want that distraction even if its for security.

like i said. just a firewall, virus scanner and an adblocker is enough. if there are some that slip thru the cracks. then thats easily remedied. and of course weekly updates to drivers/microsoft security updates.

 

[SyncroScales]

marksavio, it seems kind of strange to be called a sysadmin. I am not a company but can do certain services for others and be paid. All of this starts with regular internet browsing. I want more control and options than the average person I deal with and easy enough so I don't have to deal with family and others unless necessary.

I have extensions and add-on's that give me control of web-sites and what runs on them. I am learning about sandboxing.

Due to what Microsoft has done with Windows 10 (and ported some of this to Windows 7, 8 and 8.1), the updates are on some machines and not on some other ones. If you read Microsoft Answer's forum, this was a big thing and it is still on-going when they changed Windows Update in 2016 and made Updates not get checked and installed or take multiple days. They did not tell anyone about these problems.

I deal with a Windows 10 laptop that is horribly slow and choked full of what Microsoft and the third-parties have done. The third-party stuff apparently still is not checked, filtered and verified as safe by Microsoft. I have recommended Windows 7 (until support is dropped in January 2020) or Linux. But they are stubborn and keep complaining. I said Linux (usually) looks like your android phone not completely like Windows.

It helped me switch to Linux finally and try it out. I will figure it out and be able to help other people.