Bitcoin Mining Applications
More and more apps secretly generate cryptocurrencies for the developers. The user gets nothing from it.
Still, the process brings hardly any money. The app developers are probably hoping for a drastic increase in value as with Bitcoin.
Users should pay attention to the processor performance and the battery. Even a too hot smartphone can be an indication of the malware.
If the phone is hot in the hand and the battery drains too fast, then maybe the user has played too much candy crush or watched Youtube videos for hours. But it can also be that an app in the background unnoticed to dig for digital money - because someone from the wild dreams of becoming rich.
Several IT security companies are currently warning about Android apps that secretly generate cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. For this, they claim smartphone processor and battery of ignorant phone owners. With the alien smartphone performance, the apps solve complex computing tasks. This creates new units of a digital currency. The process is called mining, or crypto-mining. While users are surprised by their empty batteries, so does the digital account balance of the app developers. iPhones have not been affected by the malware so far.
The IT security firm TrendMicro has found several examples: An app with tens of thousands of downloads should help users to pray the Catholic rosary, as described in the Appstore. In a very un-Christian way, however, the app secretly started a small program in the background and generated the digital currency Monero. The user was not shown anything like that, only the processor's load was suddenly surprisingly high.
While the best-known cryptocurrency Bitcoin is currently hurrying from one high to the next, such malicious apps tend to rely on smaller currencies like Monero. They can also be generated by low-end smartphones, while Bitcoin miners have to spend a lot of money on computing power to win the popular digital currency. In China, for example, there are several factories filled with thousands of Bitcoin machines. Their sole purpose is to produce the digital currency throughout the day and bring their owners probably more than one million euros per month.
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The developers of such malware still do not earn much. Chrysaidos says, "Mining revenue is quite low, which could be said to generate about $ 1 per app per week, but crypto-miners may see their mining activity as an investment in the future, because of value the currency being mined could rise quickly. " They are hoping for a bitcoin effect: in 2013, a bitcoin was worth 100 euros. Now it is more than 5500 euros.
IT security companies report on malware to promote their own products designed to protect against it. However, users do not have to buy the security apps of the companies to protect themselves against unwanted crypto-mining. In general, users should pay attention to the utilization of the smartphone and the battery. If the phone is hot in hibernation, then it may be that an app secretly runs in the background - a possible indication of crypto-mining. If users have found a suspicious app, they can simply uninstall the program.
Still, the process brings hardly any money. The app developers are probably hoping for a drastic increase in value as with Bitcoin.
Users should pay attention to the processor performance and the battery. Even a too hot smartphone can be an indication of the malware.
If the phone is hot in the hand and the battery drains too fast, then maybe the user has played too much candy crush or watched Youtube videos for hours. But it can also be that an app in the background unnoticed to dig for digital money - because someone from the wild dreams of becoming rich.
Several IT security companies are currently warning about Android apps that secretly generate cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. For this, they claim smartphone processor and battery of ignorant phone owners. With the alien smartphone performance, the apps solve complex computing tasks. This creates new units of a digital currency. The process is called mining, or crypto-mining. While users are surprised by their empty batteries, so does the digital account balance of the app developers. iPhones have not been affected by the malware so far.
The IT security firm TrendMicro has found several examples: An app with tens of thousands of downloads should help users to pray the Catholic rosary, as described in the Appstore. In a very un-Christian way, however, the app secretly started a small program in the background and generated the digital currency Monero. The user was not shown anything like that, only the processor's load was suddenly surprisingly high.
Bitcoin is too expensive to mine
Another app should actually offer a bonus program: If the user redeemed certain coupons, his data volume increased - it was said in any case in advertising. Again, this program generated digital Monero money for the developer while it was running. In addition, TrendMicro found another malicious app that should provide the smartphone with background images. The developers had probably simply copied the data from an existing app and integrated the scraper function. Google has now removed all three apps from its Play store.While the best-known cryptocurrency Bitcoin is currently hurrying from one high to the next, such malicious apps tend to rely on smaller currencies like Monero. They can also be generated by low-end smartphones, while Bitcoin miners have to spend a lot of money on computing power to win the popular digital currency. In China, for example, there are several factories filled with thousands of Bitcoin machines. Their sole purpose is to produce the digital currency throughout the day and bring their owners probably more than one million euros per month.
Dozens of Android apps affected
The IT company Avast has found in Google's Playstore nearly 30 apps that secretly dig for digital currencies. Often, they use a script called Coinhive, which similarly secretly abuses the computing power of their visitors on websites. Since desktop PCs or laptops are usually significantly more powerful than smartphones, the mining for operators of such websites is more lucrative than for the developers of similarly functioning apps for smartphones. "Crypto-coin mining itself is not very efficient and not optimized for use on mobile devices," says Nikos Chrysaidos. He is responsible for security on mobile devices at Avast.Bitcoin fight for the soul of Bitcoin
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The developers of such malware still do not earn much. Chrysaidos says, "Mining revenue is quite low, which could be said to generate about $ 1 per app per week, but crypto-miners may see their mining activity as an investment in the future, because of value the currency being mined could rise quickly. " They are hoping for a bitcoin effect: in 2013, a bitcoin was worth 100 euros. Now it is more than 5500 euros.
Especially Russia affected
According to IT security firm Symantec, Russia is particularly affected by such malicious apps. Half of all attacks take place there, said a Symantec spokesman for the US portal motherboard.In the US, 20 percent of all cases have been counted, including Ukraine and Belarus are particularly affected. In addition, thousands of smartphone users in Australia have received a suspicious SMS: They are promised bitcoins when they visit a specific website. If you call up the page with your mobile phone or PC, the computing power is used for bitcoin mining, but the recipient of the SMS receives nothing from the money. It flows into the pockets of website owners.IT security companies report on malware to promote their own products designed to protect against it. However, users do not have to buy the security apps of the companies to protect themselves against unwanted crypto-mining. In general, users should pay attention to the utilization of the smartphone and the battery. If the phone is hot in hibernation, then it may be that an app secretly runs in the background - a possible indication of crypto-mining. If users have found a suspicious app, they can simply uninstall the program.
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