Devices at risk from coin miners
Company warns on cryptojacking
Cryptojacking is rapidly emerging as the latest cyber threat as the use of cryptocurrency rises, according to research.
The latest Internet Security Threat Report from cyber security company Symantec found over the past year detections of coin miners on endpoint computers had increased by 8500 per cent in 2017.
Symantec found with just a few lines of code, cybercriminals were harnessing st olen processing power and cloud CPU usage from consumers to mine cryptocurrency.
Coin miners can slow devices, overheat batteries and, in some cases, render devices unusable.
For companies, coin miners can put corporate networks at risk of shutdown and inflate cloud CPU usage, adding cost.
President and chief operating officer of Symantec Mike Fey said cryptojacking was a growing threat to cyber and personal security.
“The massive profit incentive puts people, devices and organisations at risk of unauthorised coin miners siphoning resources from their systems, further motivating criminals to infiltrate everything from home PCs to giant data centres.” Internet of Things (IoT) devices continued to be targets for exploitation with the report showing a 600 per cent increase in attacks last year.
Symantec Security Response director Kevin Haley said the connected nature of these devices posed a l arger t hreat as cyber criminals could exploit this to mine en masse. “Now you could be fighting for resources on your phone, computer or IoT device as attackers use them for profit,” said Haley. “People need to expand their defences or they will pay the price for someone else using their device.”
Mac computers were not immune with an 80 per cent rise in mining attacks against Mac OS last year. Ellerslie Racecourse is getting a makeover with Auckland Racing Club spending $6 million on a new stable block which will be open to the public.
Seventy per cent of the old stable block will be demolished to make room for the new building, which will have space for 126 horses, a warm-up ring, veterinary boxes and an office, trainers cafe and function room.
Auckland Racing Club chief executive Paul Wilcox said the new stables would put Ellerslie on par with Australian courses such as Flemington and Randwick. “The idea of this development is to bring racegoers and owners closer to the horses and even closer to the action.”
Construction would be completed in time for November’s Melbourne Cup meeting.