Monday, 1 January 2018

Opera browser now includes cryptojacking protection

"Cryptojacking" is the latest trend in malware; by some estimates, there are at least 2,500 sites that illicitly run Javascript in your browser to secretly mine cryptocurrency.

So the browser pushback has begun. Opera just announced its latest release includes anti-mining measures:

Bitcoins are really hot right now, but did you know that they might actually be making your computer hotter? Your CPU suddenly working at 100 percent capacity, the fan is going crazy for seemingly no reason and your battery quickly depleting might all be signs that someone is using your computer to mine for cryptocurrency.

Brave, Brendan Eich's new startup browser, also implemented this type of blocking earlier this year. I hope this trend continues; there are lots of plugins that block cryptocurrency mining, but it'll only become mainstream if it's built as a default into mainstream browsers.