Cryptocurrency earned its title since it relies on encryption to validate transactions. This requires sophisticated code to store and transport bitcoin data between wallets and to public ledgers. The purpose of encryption is to provide security and privacy.

Cryptocurrencies are anonymous, in the sense that the bitcoin stored in a wallet is not linked to specific individuals, but to one or more distinct keys. As a result, bitcoin owners remain anonymous, yet all transactions are public on the blockchain. Nonetheless, cryptocurrency exchanges are frequently compelled by law to acquire their consumers' personal information.

• Bitcoin

• Litecoin

• Ethereum

• Ripple

• Stellar

• NEO

• IOTA

• Cardano

Mining is the process of validating transactions in cryptocurrency networks. Successful miners are rewarded with additional bitcoin in exchange for their efforts. The reward reduces transaction fees by providing an additional incentive to contribute to the network's processing power. The pace at which hashes are generated, which serve as validation for each transaction, has been boosted using specialized computers like as that execute complicated hashing algorithms like as SHA-256.

Since 2009 the number of individuals stepping into the realm of virtual currency are increasing, and the process of creating hashes for this validation has gotten significantly more sophisticated over time, with miners being forced to invest significant sums of money on several high-performance machines.

In turn, this means that generating a bitcoin unit requires an increasing amount of computational power. The power usage and hardware wear and tear are steadily growing and so miners must consider energy price and making the network of computational resources in their favor, because it becomes unprofitable to dig with one's own computer. Crypto miners that were resourceful quickly began exploring for new ways to mine crypto currency more profitably for them by having to mine crypto currencies in a network. The generated units are then credited to the cybercriminals'eWallet. To do this, they smuggle malware onto their victims'computer.

Crypto Jacking is the unlawful mining of cryptocurrencies on another person's computer. Hackers do this by convincing the victim to click on a malicious link in an email that downloads Crypto Mining malware, or by infecting a website or online advertisement with JavaScript code that executes automatically once loaded in the victim's browser. Cyber criminals spread Crypto Jacking malware by exploiting weaknesses in applications and servers and hijacking Wi-Fi hotspots via malicious mobile applications, botnets, and social media platforms.

Crypto Jacking may appear to be a harmless crime, as the only thing stolen is the victim's computer's processing power. However, the criminal uses computer power for this unlawful purpose without the victim's knowledge or agreement, to the profit of the criminal who is illicitly manufacturing cryptocurrency. Cybercriminals view this as a profitable crime since a high number of infected devices generates a significant sum of Bitcoin.

Crypto jacking's major effect is on performance, while it can also increase costs for impacted individuals and organizations due to coin mining's high electricity and computer power requirements.

As many analytical articles have stated these past two years that if Ransomware is the present, crypto jacking is the future. The cybercriminals are reaping benefits from crypto jacking quicker than ransomware. But in some cases, it has been evident that a victim of a crypto jacking has also turned into a victim of ransomware.

• Computers and network devices - particularly those linked to information technology and industrial control system networks.

• Mobile devices - Gadgets that are vulnerable in the same way as computers.

• Internet of Things devices - internet-enabled devices (e.g., CCTV, home smart devices, printers etc.).

• A significant reduction in device performance

• Overheating of device batteries

• Devices shutting down owing to a lack of available processing capacity.

• Decreased productivity of your device.

• The laptop is generating audible whirring noises.

• Anti-virus software should be used, and updates should be downloaded automatically.

• Block harmful activities using browser add-ons. Browser add-ons extend the capabilities of your browser.

• Maintain the latest versions of your operating system and apps.

• Make sure your passwords are strong.

• Even if it appears to originate from a government agency, a well-known organization, or a friend, never click on links in emails or communications you don't trust.

• Microsoft Office macros should be disabled. Macros are short programs that may be used maliciously to automate simple functions in Microsoft Office documents.

• Safely browse the internet.

• Default usernames and passwords should be changed.

• Recognize regular CPU activity and keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

• Disable services that aren't needed.

• Uninstall any program that is no longer in use.

• Set up a firewall.

• Downloading files from suspicious websites should be avoided.