Cryptojacking is a way for thieves to secretly use your PC to mine cryptocurrency. Whether you have started to use cryptocurrency or have thought about it, cybercriminals can possibly access your information. With the number of data breaches lately, crypto jacking is something you should protect yourself against. As you know, there are some sites on the web that may not have your best interests in mind. Sure, they may look legitimate, but are they? Sometimes websites hide scripts in their code. If you find one, it will use your computer as a host. Then, it will work overtime causing heat, noise, and speed issues.
Have You Been Cryptojacked?
Luckily, there is an easy way to find out if you’ve been cryptojacked. A good portion of the world uses Chrome to browse the web. However, the Opera browser sponsors a quick and easy test located here. Opera makes no money from the test, they are simply doing it to raise awareness. Of course, they suggest you use the browser and turn on the built-in ad blocker with cryptocurrency mining protection. Of all the users that run the test, the website reports that 81.6% are protected.
What If You Are Vulnerable?
If you are not protected, you will see a message that looks like the one below. As you see it tells you that you are not protected. However, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Just be sure to perform one or all of the steps below the image.
- Update your browser – Locate the settings portion of your web browser. Once updated, test again to see if anything has improved. If it hasn’t, you may want to switch to one that has it (such as Opera) until your favorite catches up.
- You can add an extension – If you use Chrome or Firefox, you can look for an extension called No Coin. We searched for it by using Chrome and were not able to find it. If it is not available, you may have to rely on step 1.
- Check your AntiVirus – Some AV software can detect and block a cryptojacking attempt. If you have questions about yours, check with support or look for an FAQ section of the support pages.
Those are the steps you need to test your web browser for Cryptojacking. Protecting yourself only take s a few minutes and is something you may not even know you needed to do.