Blocking Cryptocurrency Mining with Cisco Talos

The value of cryptocurrencies has fluctuated wildly, but the value is still high enough to garner a lot of attention, both legitimate and malicious. Most of the malicious activity we see is done for financial gain, and cryptocurrencies have provided attackers with a lucrative new avenue to pursue: cryptocurrency mining.

Over the past year, we have seen a seismic shift in the threat landscape with the explosive growth of malicious cryptocurrency mining. This threat is spreading across the internet like wildfire and is being delivered through multiple vectors including email, web, and active exploitation. That doesn’t include the quasi-legitimate in-browser mining that is becoming increasingly common.