Bitcoin Forum

I'm from Buenos Aires and it was all over the news today about computers being hacked for mining at a Starbucks here in the city.

As I use coffeeshops wifi a lot and I've been recently spending more time in crypto-related sites and it never occured to me until now that I'm vulnerable to someone using my computer to mine. I already installed a chrome extension to block, BUT I would like to know if there's another protection method or any way to know if your computer has been set up to mine. Like a weird file downloaded randomly or a weird prompt message.

I suggest you install a software firewall so you get notified of what outgoing connections your computer is making.

Run a VPN with a kill switch

I am doing what fabioganga says. Find a good firewall software and know who is doing what to your computer ;)

 Being hacked from an unprotected or worse yet a duplicate SSID Wi-Fi network is easy to avoid by running a VPN kill switch setup. Being hacked for bitcoin mining is the least of your worries. Anyone using a novel exploit will NOT be picked up by antivirus or blocked by a firewall.

A VPN is the only answer!

Well said but for stronger and worry free protection then I would suggest having a Anti-virus + VPN would already block these sites specially you are logging in on public wife's which is really vulnerable either on stealing informations and do execute possible mining script but mostly on these external mining are caused or possible to be done when you do access a certain website and then automatically the script run out and you wont even notice that you are already mining for them.I have experienced this but having and Antivirus alone will really exterminate this hidden operation.

To get protected also against undesirable mining through your browser, you also can try the google's app: No coin (http://To get protected against undesirable mining through your browser, you also could try the google's app no coin)

If you think you're compromised, start from scratch. Generate a wallet on a new device and move your coinage to that. Format your device and start from scratch. Install HTTPS everywhere, uBlock Origin, and an antivirus. Don't blindly trust HTTPS site just because they are and don't just click past the MiTM accept screens.

Don't post any sensitive data over HTTP, ever.

According to me Being hacked from an unprotected or worse yet a duplicate SSID Wi-Fi network is easy to avoid by running a VPN kill switch setup. Being hacked for bitcoin mining is the least of your worries. Anyone using a novel exploit will NOT be picked up by antivirus or blocked by a firewall.

A VPN is the only answer!

Interesting suggestions in this thread. I didn't know VPN could protect you.

You can install the firewall, or buy a new computer. That is my opinion

Firewall and VPN is the best solution, also aware any software now can bring threat for your computer

I also have all the computers after half an hour of work start stanovitsa blunt and very slowly work, what is this extension for Chrome, please tell me? I think these problems are connected with illegal mining!
Regards Denis

I recently heard that Opera released a new extension specifically designed to protect against unauthorized mining!

There is a browser extension called "no coin". Just google it und you will find. But I don't know how serious this addon is.

The extension is called "MinerBlock"

MinerBlock is quite good actually, I second that. Also, if you are a mac user, you might wanna have a look at 'Little Snitch', it's a great piece of software.

First thing is to know when you CPU is used by others. I put a gadget on the screen of my desktop showing CPU and memory usage at all times. I used Rainmeter for this. When I get infected (happened only once), I do a virus sweep with Bitdefender. It finds everything!

Careful on the webpages you are visiting. If connected to a hotspot at SB that hasn't been compromised then running a firewall should assist otherwise you're exposed to attacks from scripts that can be ran on a web browser with out your consent and knowledge.