Mozilla Firefox is automatically blocking browser-based cryptojacking
Mozilla Firefox, the most outstanding open source browser, has announced the implementation of new protection measures against cryptocurrency mining malware attacks (cryptojacking) on new browser versions, reported vulnerability testing specialists from the International Institute of Cyber Security (IICS).
In the newer versions of Firefox, Nightly 68
and Beta 67, Mozilla has enabled a new level of protection against some
variants of cryptojacking as part of the set of content blocking protections in
Firefox.
These new functions were developed in
conjunction with a cybersecurity specialist firm; According to the
vulnerability testing specialists, these features include a considerable set of
blacklists of malware domains associated with cryptocurrency mining scripts.
Developers ensure that this blacklist is
capable of blocking browser-based cryptojacking services, such as Coinhive or
CryptoLoot.
These new features are not yet enabled by
default in the browser, but simply look for them in the ‘Privacy and security’
section; the new features will be enabled by default in Firefox Nightly over
the next few weeks.
According to the vulnerability testing
specialists, the revenues of a cryptojacking campaign depend on how aggressive
the mining script is. However, if the process becomes too aggressive, users
should note that their computer is being used for cryptocurrency mining, and
they will be recommended to interrupt the process (leaving the compromised website,
for example).
Taking as reference the 10 most profitable
sites that have mining code attached on them, researchers at a cybersecurity firm
estimated that they are capable of generating between 0.53 and 1.51 units of
Monero cryptocurrency a day, i.e. between $119 USD and $340 USD, according to
their current value.
While it may seem little profits, since revenue
is obtained at no cost to the attacker, this remains a remarkable gain.
“However, we come to the conclusion that the current cryptojacking is not
as profitable as one might expect and the general income is moderate,” the
investigators said.
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