From Coindesk
Security firm TrendMicro stated in a new report that Google's DoubleClick ad services were used to distribute cryptocurrency mining malware to a number of users in Europe and Asia.Read more: https://www.coindesk.com/googles-doubleclick-ads-used-distribute-crypto-mining-malware/On its Security and Intelligence Blog, the company outlined how CoinHive – a JavaScript program that works in the background of a website and uses a computer's processing power to mine monero – was distributed by attackers who appropriated Google's DoubleClick. Significantly, miners like CoinHive operate without a user's consent or knowledge.
Google's DoubleClick ad services are also used by YouTube, the world's most popular video sharing service, and the miner impacted a number of users on the site, according to ArsTechnica.
A "separate web miner that connects to a private pool" was also involved in the scheme, according to TrendMicro's report.
The "malvertisement" incorporated two different web miner scripts in addition to the actual advertisement, according to the report.
It continued:
"The affected webpage will show the legitimate advertisement while the two web miners covertly perform their task. We speculate that the attackers’ use of these advertisements on legitimate websites is a ploy to target a larger number of users, in comparison to only that of compromised devices. The traffic involving the abovementioned cryptocurrency miners has since decreased after January 24".
Wow, I would have figured that this company would be the first to detect it and ban mining software in ads. They are working on detecting with and disabling it with their Chrome browser after all. Yikes big fail. Maybe it's time I install an ad blocker.
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Thanks for posting. Obviously i am still a true novice, but I am soaking it all up.
Please check my thoughts on a crypto currency economy.
@weddingdresses
Bad move from Google indeed. No wonder ad-blocker usage continues rise. The way things are at the moment, I would strongly suggest using an open source browser with built-in ad-blocking in combination with reputable native VPN app so as to block ads at the device level. Very good PSA, thanks.
Google is an EVIL corporation. It needs to be investigated by the New DOJ for abuse of monopoly practices
Awareness. thanks for sharing.
My computer has been running slowly for a few weeks. I had heard this was a thing and now of course, I am "sure" my computer is mining for someone.
This is true because my Kaspersky Internet Security detected that js file from coinhive and block it. Always be vigilant guys because we don't know that our computer are mining for someone
Thanks for the info.
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