In this malicious campaign, the threat actors redirect unsuspecting mobile users to dubious pages set up to perform in-browser cryptomining by exploiting their device's processing power to generate Monero coins. Hackers hijacked millions of Android devices over recent months to generate Monero cryptocurrency coins, according to Malwarebytes researchers. Mobile users are redirected to a page containing a CAPTCHA request to prove they are human and are advised that their browser will mine the cryptocurrency Monero to recover server costs incurred by bot traffic. The researchers said in an advisory published Tuesday that hackers have been using this technique for at least two years. More than 4,000 UK, US and Australian websites were hijacked to mine cryptocurrency over the 10-11 February weekend.
Hackers hijacked millions of Android devices over recent months to generate Monero cryptocurrency coins, according to Malwarebytes researchers. Mobile users are redirected to a page containing a CAPTCHA request to prove they are human and are advised that their browser will mine the cryptocurrency Monero to recover server costs incurred by bot traffic. The researchers said in an advisory published Tuesday that hackers have been using this technique for at least two years. More than 4,000 UK, US and Australian websites were hijacked to mine cryptocurrency over the 10-11 February weekend.