Hackers are turning to cryptojacking — infecting enterprise infrastructure with crypto mining software — to have a steady, reliable, ongoing revenue stream. As a result, they’re getting very clever in hiding their malware.
Enterprises are very much on the lookout for any signs of critical data being stolen or encrypted in a ransomware attack. Cryptojacking is stealthier, and it can be hard for companies to detect. The damage it causes is real but isn’t always obvious.
The damage can have an immediate financial impact if the crypto mining software infects cloud infrastructure or drives up the electric bill. It can also hurt productivity and performance by slowing down machines.
“With CPUs that are not specifically made for crypto mining, it could be detrimental to your hardware,” says Carles Lopez-Penalver, intelligence analyst at Flashpoint. “They can burn out or run more slowly.”
