9 C
Amsterdam
29 March 2024
PumpMoonshot
Image default
Price Analysis

Cryptojacking via Kodi: how does it work?

cryptojacking

Kodi-addons are an exciting part of being a Kodi user, but they can also be highly hazardous if not used responsibly. If you are one of the users of the Kodi system who utilities a vast array of add-ons then you are potentially making yourself extremely vulnerable. You could be exposing yourself to several undesirable problems, and among these is cryptojacking.

What is Cryptojacking?

Not only is cryptojacking annoying, and potentially even more serious than this, it is also something of which very few people are aware, let alone do they understand what it is. So let’s begin this article by giving a quick explanation of cryptojacking.

Cryptojacking is a relatively new form of malware that is becoming increasingly common due to the viral success of cryptocurrency. Most people will probably know that the most successful cryptocurrency is Bitcoin, but there are many other digital payment solutions also becoming available. These rely on computer processing, and that’s where cryptojacking comes in.

Cryptojacking enables people attempting to mine Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to take advantage of someone else’s competing power. A cryptojacker secretly runs programs on a host’s machine, and minds cryptocurrency using this technology without the user ever gaining knowledge of this process.

It should be said that this is relatively benign compared to some other forms of malware and hacking. Cryptojacking will never lock your machine, hold you to ransom or steal any of your private details. It is not actively malicious in this sense, rather it is annoying, and something that will have a negative impact on the way that your computer performs. Indeed, in extreme cases, it can cause a system to crash completely.

Kodi and Cryptojacking

Unfortunately, anyone who uses the Kodi System is at risk from cryptojacking. But those who install the application on Amazon Fire TV devices are particularly vulnerable.

It is difficult to go through all of the cryptojacking malware exploits that exist, but one of the most prominent is known as ADM.Miner. Without meaning to get too technical, ADB. Miner spreads through port 555. This automatically opens when you enable developer options, which is a necessary step in order to install the Kodi system on the Amazon device.

Stopping Cryptojacking

In order to protect yourself against this problem, you will need to install certain software. One possible solution is TVAddon’s No-Coin Scan add-on, which is based on the No-Coin browser extension. This will help snuff out any threat posed by cryptojacking once installed.

This add-on is available through the Indigo repo, as well as Fusion. Once this software has been installed, users should then navigate to Add-ons > Indigo on the Kodi homepage, before selecting the ‘No-Coin Scan’ option.

Once installed, this software effectively works in a similar fashion to a virus or malware checker, scanning your entire system in order to check for vulnerability. Once finished, it will either give you the all clear or advise you on the appropriate action to take in order to cleanse your system.

Unfortunately, a surprisingly high number of Amazon TV users will find that their system has indeed been compromised, as it has been estimated that around 17,000 Kodi Amazon users worldwide are already being cryptojacked. And with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies still hugely popular, this phenomenon is only likely to increase in the foreseeable future.

Protection Problems

However, there are still problems for those seeking to exclude cryptojacking from the Kodi solution. The software producers for TVAddon admit that it is possible for hijacking and other malicious scripts to avoid detection. This is simply due to the ingenuity of the computer experts that build these nefarious programs, and the unfortunate number of exploits possible with commercial software such as Android.

TVAddons has commented that it is already “working on improving and automating the detection of cryptojacking and other malicious scripts.” But this will certainly be an arduous and unending process. When we think of cryptojacking, we should absolutely draw a parallel with the world of viruses and malware, which represents an ongoing battle between white hat and black hat hackers, and a battle that will literally never end.

If there is money to be made then there will always be an incentive to break the law, and unfortunately, there is no prospect of cryptojacking being eliminated completely. Thus, if you wish to get the best out of Kodi, and ensure that you are using the system as safely as possible, it is certainly better to opt out of the Amazon Fire Stick and associated technology.

Image(s): Shutterstock.com

Related posts

New Euro-pegged Stablecoin Lets Holders Earn Annual Interest

PumpMoonshot

Top 4 Ways to Accelerate a Bitcoin Transaction in 2019

PumpMoonshot

Analysts Predict Easy Path To New ATH As It Nears $600

PumpMoonshot
Verified by MonsterInsights