Drive-by mining is a form of cryptocurrency mining that occurs without the knowledge or consent of the affected user. This form of mining is done through the use of malicious code that is embedded in websites, resulting in the user’s computer using its computing resources to mine the cryptocurrency without the user’s knowledge or permission.
Drive-by mining works by a website inserting a script into a user’s computer. This script will then mine a targeted cryptocurrency in the background. This mining process takes up a considerable amount of the user’s computing resources, including processor power, memory and Internet bandwidth. This can affect the performance of the computer as well as resulting in high electricity bills.
Drive-by mining is not a new concept, as malware authors have been using scripts to mine cryptocurrencies since 2011. However, in recent years, cryptocurrency prices have risen significantly, making this type of mining a much more profitable activity. This rise in profitability has led to an increase in the number of drive-by mining websites, and in turn, an increase in the number of users experiencing the associated negative effects.
Drive-by mining is a growing issue and must be taken seriously. To prevent this problem from occurring, users must be vigilant when visiting websites and download dependable anti-virus software that can detect and remove any malicious scripts. Additionally, browser extensions have been developed that promise to stop the execution of cryptocurrency mining scripts.
