Mining hijack - worth it or not?

[yo_mama]

So there are hackers hijacking servers to mine cryptocurrency.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/02/11/government-websites-secretly-mining-cryptocurrency/

I've heard some hackers use browsers to mine, like when people watch youtube videos.

Some hackers even hijack smartphones to mine.

http://www.newsweek.com/hacker-hijack-millions-smartphones-mine-cryptocurrency-806846

Now the question is, is it really profitable? Mining something like Bitcoin with SHA256 and crazy difficulty with CPU server, browser, or smartphone? Can they even mine 1 satoshi per day? Or Ethereum, insane difficulty, can they even earn $1 per day?

I guess they can easily earn at least 10 thousand times more by running a crude phishing scam?

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[manji]

if the hacker was hijack a server. someone or admin that server can saw something wrong on the server. such a server working very slow unusual. the sound of the fan sounded unusual. same if hacker hijack a smartphone, that's more unusual. a batteries drain faster, mobile phone faster the heat and slow.

If mining the altcoin using a server still profitable, such ETN coin but if server using to bitcoin mining, I think don't profit because of Global hashrate and network diff to high. although using Mobile phone or browser. (but that fact don't influence hacker because he/she nothing to lose because a server, mobile phone not his)

[ivakar]

Well because of the crazy diff i doubt there is any good point to mine btc, but i guess with those servers it is possible to mine monero.

[vladanm]

Our linux server was hacked, hacker used SOLR http://lucene.apache.org/solr/   vulnerability to install miner on server, it is 24 core  2 X  Xeon(R) CPU X5675 which have around 500 h/s, and can earn about 20$ per month   (no electricity cost ofc)
https://www.cryptocompare.com/mining/calculator/xmr?HashingPower=500&HashingUnit=H%2Fs&PowerConsumption=0&CostPerkWh=0.12&MiningPoolFee=1

Problem is that load on server jumped to 100% which is crazy and we got load alert right away and turned off miner in 5 minutes. closed all server ports and patched solr.

Is it profitable for hacker? Yes, if server admin is on vacation for a whole year.

It is almost impossible to run miner on server without anyone notice. But lets say hacker is using automated scripts and noone notice that server have incressed load then it sure possible and profitable.  Infect 100 servers with miner and get 10$ monthly for each, its 1000$ per month.

Have in mind that those kind operations can be huge and infections are done using automated scripts to search and install virus miners on 1000 of servers, i doubt its done manually one by one server.

[jillscarbrough]

Infect 100 servers with miner and get 10$ monthly for each, its 1000$ per month.

Have in mind that those kind operations can be huge and infections are done using automated scripts to search and install virus miners on 1000 of servers, i doubt its done manually one by one server.

I have server two Xeon 12 core 24 thread mining ETN in January, I get 30 ETN per day. I believe there have are many servers infected and someone or admin don't know.

the comment manji is true :

(but that fact don't influence hacker because he/she nothing to lose because a server, mobile phone not his)

yes, they (hacker) nothing to lose because their don't buy hardware, paying electricity, paying internet. they just sit and look at the balance in the wallet.

[yo_mama]

So, looks like the return is very low
Maybe development cost (exploiting the vulnerbilities, making the virus etc) outweigh the profit
Still phishing seems to be much more profitable, and easier