Browser Mining Problems

[Spazzer]

I've noticed more and more cryptocurrency related sites are running Bitcoin and Altcoin mining on their websites. I don't know about the rest of you but I am getting tired of it. I would support smaller projects and websites if they let users know. None of them see to be open about saying they are running miners.

I would recommend installing the following if you are not already running them:

Chrome
NoMiner - Chrome
No Coin! - Chrome
minerBlock - Chrome

Firefox
NoMiner - Firefox
No Coin! - Firefox
minerBlock - Firefox

Opera
No Coin! - Opera
minerBlock - Opera

Safari
Unknown
Safari from my understanding does not have any approved miner blockers in their extension store.

Brave solves all these problems.

For a list of sites running miners see (WIP) Community Compiled List of Sites Browser Mining.

[1714027191]

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[1714027191]

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[NotFuzzyWarm]

Think this belongs more in Software area than here but thass up to the mods.

Good list. As you said, being informed about a site using mining vs ads on it is one thing, just mining in the background with no apparent benefit to the person who is browsing is a whole different thing. Screw that noise!

Now if those jerks behind the cryptotab ads could be blocked from the Forum just as easily....

[stomachgrowls]

I've noticed more and more cryptocurrency related sites are running Bitcoin and Altcoin mining on their websites. I don't know about the rest of you but I am getting tired of it. I would support smaller projects and websites if they let users know. None of them see to be open about saying they are running miners.

I would recommend installing the following if you are not already running them:

Chrome
NoMiner - Chrome
No Coin! - Chrome
minerBlock - Chrome

Firefox
NoMiner - Firefox
No Coin! - Firefox
minerBlock - Firefox

Opera
No Coin! - Opera
minerBlock - Opera

Safari
Unknown
Safari from my understanding does not have any approved miner blockers in their extension store.

Thank you for sharing this up!This would really be helpful for those people who don't really like to be used as an apparatus for others to do mine for them.Even though I'm not using these extensions my ESET nod32 do automatically detects if I do access a site which do have coinminer. I can block it anytime and it do really sucks that those websites doesn't really inform their users that they are already using surfers cpu computing power for their own benefit.

[buwaytress]

Thanks for that! It's been a while since I added a new extension to my browser to catch what I'd consider malware, I have been suspicious of certain sites in the past but couldn't really prove it, so I'll give this No Coin a whirl for my Chrome... half a million users and a GitHub page are good enough for me, not the other two though...

Not actually sure if the Coinhive debacles all over piratebay and showtime have meant that other software exist, but better to be safe than sorry, as they say.

[jossiel]

Thanks for sharing this and I've read the reviews about no coin.

I wonder why there are people who are commenting there that it's not working for them. However I'll give a shot on it too.

Does anyone know if there is a list of websites that are mining through their visitors browsers? It will be helpful too if someone will give that list.

[Spazzer]

Thanks for that!

Thank you for the merit.

Does anyone know if there is a list of websites that are mining through their visitors browsers? It will be helpful too if someone will give that list.

I will start keeping a list of sites that I come across. Most of them as of recent have been cryptocurrency news sites or aggregators.

[bill gator]

I will start keeping a list of sites that I come across. Most of them as of recent have been cryptocurrency news sites or aggregators.

I would suggest starting a new thread specifically to point out which sites you comes across that run miners, and especially call out those that do so without the permission or even informing their users. People used to think that this was some kind of conspiracy I had in my head, because nobody thought these news sites, game sites and others would essentially perform the same tasks as a virus (temporarily). Then ESEA got caught running miners and the landscape and attitude about this changed entirely. It seems almost every time I show up to read recent news articles relating to Bitcoin that my CPU, GPU and system fans begin to pick up speed and my machine begins to stutter. This practice is utterly pitiful, pathetic and I would suspect it only provides minimal gain for these sites. I never knew there were trusted extensions to keep these miners out of my hair, thanks for the list and I'm looking forward to participating in your other thread about which sites do such a thing.

[buwaytress]

I would suggest starting a new thread specifically to point out which sites you comes across that run miners, and especially call out those that do so without the permission or even informing their users. People used to think that this was some kind of conspiracy I had in my head, because nobody thought these news sites, game sites and others would essentially perform the same tasks as a virus (temporarily). Then ESEA got caught running miners and the landscape and attitude about this changed entirely. It seems almost every time I show up to read recent news articles relating to Bitcoin that my CPU, GPU and system fans begin to pick up speed and my machine begins to stutter. This practice is utterly pitiful, pathetic and I would suspect it only provides minimal gain for these sites. I never knew there were trusted extensions to keep these miners out of my hair, thanks for the list and I'm looking forward to participating in your other thread about which sites do such a thing.

Good suggestion. I know that browser mining, at least with the software that Coinhive came up with, was a way to find alternative revenue and I actually believe that it can be very useful for businesses like newspapers or online news portals. I was part of a newspaper daily that had to shut down because people simply preferred reading online than buying the paper. I keep seeing ads and requests to allow ads on some of my favourite news sites, they'd do well to install something like Coinhive. That would probably be the ONLY way I'd ever let a miner run in my browser.

It's definitely not a conspiracy... there are just too many users out there who don't even know their computers are being hijacked. I've suspected a few streaming sites for sure, but yeah, if a list of them came up, might do a bit more to shame these guys into uninstalling their scripts.

[Lucius]

Thank you for sharing this up!This would really be helpful for those people who don't really like to be used as an apparatus for others to do mine for them.Even though I'm not using these extensions my ESET nod32 do automatically detects if I do access a site which do have coinminer. I can block it anytime and it do really sucks that those websites doesn't really inform their users that they are already using surfers cpu computing power for their own benefit.

I think most of the antivirus software blocks any mining attempt via browser,I can say for sure that my Norton very effectively prevents it every time.Unfortunately a good part of the internet users do not use any security software,and they are ideal target for mining with browsers and their CPU.

Although something like that could be expected on the site which are related to cryptocurrency,it's actually very easy to set up such script for anyone so it is used by many sites,and even it is reported on YouTube.

One interesting study is testing around 2500 sites and almost all of them is mining mainly Monero with CoinHive script.For most of them profit is in the first place,no matter how they come to it.

Read more : Browser Mining

[Mister1k]

Thanks for that!

Thank you for the merit.

Does anyone know if there is a list of websites that are mining through their visitors browsers? It will be helpful too if someone will give that list.

I will start keeping a list of sites that I come across. Most of them as of recent have been cryptocurrency news sites or aggregators.

Good work mate. I am really happy to see the low rank member exploring something on browser mining. I am mining with 8 cards RX 470 cards rig and getting 11 USD per day. My confussion is that browser mining and cloud mining is same of different.

Since I started mining few weeks before I am not very much aware of cloud and browser mining. As I know they comes ponzi proposal. Hope get clarification here.

[bill gator]

Good suggestion.

Thanks, but it will become more than a suggestion if OP doesn't end up making a thread about it. I would happily start the thread and maintain an OP of suggested sites that are accused of doing so. I am unaware of how to search these sites down, unless these add-ons/extensions let you know when it was attempted and I'm clueless. I'm open to ideas on how to verify accusations; It'll get started today, because I really like the idea.

I know that browser mining, at least with the software that Coinhive came up with, was a way to find alternative revenue and I actually believe that it can be very useful for businesses like newspapers or online news portals. I was part of a newspaper daily that had to shut down because people simply preferred reading online than buying the paper. I keep seeing ads and requests to allow ads on some of my favourite news sites, they'd do well to install something like Coinhive. That would probably be the ONLY way I'd ever let a miner run in my browser.

It is a pretty interesting alternative to intrusive ads. I would be perfectly happy with offering up a small slice of my CPU as an alternative to ads, as long as there are restrictions on what they're allowed to do and some sort of regulations of informing your users. A small note at the top of the page, maybe a 5%-10% limitation on my CPU usage or something reasonable.

It's definitely not a conspiracy... there are just too many users out there who don't even know their computers are being hijacked. I've suspected a few streaming sites for sure, but yeah, if a list of them came up, might do a bit more to shame these guys into uninstalling their scripts.

Hindsight is 20/20 for most people, and for others ignorance is bliss on all accounts. Streaming sites have been suspect as well for me. I'm going to start that list myself in a few if OP isn't interested in doing so themselves. Even if it doesn't shame them into uninstalling, maybe it'll at least force some transparency and discussion for this kind of thing.

[jossiel]

I will start keeping a list of sites that I come across. Most of them as of recent have been cryptocurrency news sites or aggregators.

That's great, I'll wait for that list that you'll make so that we will all be aware of those websites that are running a script to our browsers for them to mine with our PC.

I rarely visit crypto news website now because there are updates on social media so I'm reading most of the time there.

I agree with bill gator's suggestion that you should create a new list for that one.

[magneto]

I have not actually encountered any browser mining sites myself, or maybe it's just that none of these sites have ever notified me about their secretive mining operation so I never took notice.

This is not different at all from stealing. They are making money from your resources without letting you know.

I agree, a list of all the sites that are known to secretly mine with people's hardware and power without letting them know and consent should be put out in public.

Thanks for the suggestions for the chrome extensions. It'll sure be a good idea to get them, especially with the rising popularity of Coinhive.

[Duzter]

Microsoft has revealed a statement regarding the browser based mining that vulnerable attacks were taking place through these and its been noted through the windows defender. To make it secure it is good to use the one with the perfect security or to stay away from such services.

[bill gator]

I have not actually encountered any browser mining sites myself, or maybe it's just that none of these sites have ever notified me about their secretive mining operation so I never took notice.

This is not different at all from stealing. They are making money from your resources without letting you know.

I agree, a list of all the sites that are known to secretly mine with people's hardware and power without letting them know and consent should be put out in public.

Consider yourself lucky or that the mining with your resources has gone unnoticed. I'm a little hesitant to call it stealing/theft, simply because it could be argued either way in my opinion pretty validly. All I want from these sites/companies is to be notified, informed, asked whether I would prefer ads or browser mining or something. I'm going to do my best to start a little community compiled list of those sites that are using browser mining. You can find the starting point here : https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=3130937.msg32380390#msg32380390 , since it seems like OP won't be starting the thread themselves. I don't have any off the top of my head, and I am absolutely desperate for contributions to that list/thread.

[Patatas]

I have not actually encountered any browser mining sites myself, or maybe it's just that none of these sites have ever notified me about their secretive mining operation so I never took notice.

They wouldn't be listed out as mining websites.Infact,they wouldn't have any UI at all.For instance,you download a chrome extension which runs a script in the  background that is effectively using your browser resources to continue their mining operations.

This is not different at all from stealing. They are making money from your resources without letting you know.

You are responsible for downloading the vulnerabilities.It's just as like downloading stuff like games which come with throjan.

Microsoft has revealed a statement regarding the browser based mining that vulnerable attacks were taking place through these and its been noted through the windows defender. To make it secure it is good to use the one with the perfect security or to stay away from such services.

I'm afraid many of the virus detection tools will be warn you on vulnerable scripts.

[Tyrantt]

Same here, never encountered or even though about while browsing. Tho, my malwarebytes didn't report anything lately. Are there any bigger websites that are doing this or just some smaller random ones?

[npredtorch]

Same here, never encountered or even though about while browsing. Tho, my malwarebytes didn't report anything lately. Are there any bigger websites that are doing this or just some smaller random ones?

Are you using an updated release of malwarebytes and is it paid? If yes, then you're all good.
I asked about it cause your anti-virus/malware might be missing the mining activity on web browsers due to the fact that it's not updated to the latest definition.
AFAIK, they blocked browser mining since the last quarter of 2017.

[bill gator]

I will start keeping a list of sites that I come across. Most of them as of recent have been cryptocurrency news sites or aggregators.

That's great, I'll wait for that list that you'll make so that we will all be aware of those websites that are running a script to our browsers for them to mine with our PC.

I rarely visit crypto news website now because there are updates on social media so I'm reading most of the time there.

I agree with bill gator's suggestion that you should create a new list for that one.

It seems that OP really isn't that interested in publishing their list in a thread here, so I've decided to do so myself. I would love for them to contribute the list they're working on as well, because my thread won't be able to take off without input from the community.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=3130937

This is where I will be compiling a list of the aforementioned sites.

[slaman29]

Same here, never encountered or even though about while browsing. Tho, my malwarebytes didn't report anything lately. Are there any bigger websites that are doing this or just some smaller random ones?

Are you using an updated release of malwarebytes and is it paid? If yes, then you're all good.
I asked about it cause your anti-virus/malware might be missing the mining activity on web browsers due to the fact that it's not updated to the latest definition.
AFAIK, they blocked browser mining since the last quarter of 2017.

I'm using malwarebytes, but I remember that it never caught the coinhive script that was running on Piratebay. I visit often enough, just never really paid attention since I leave as soon as I find what I want from there. By the time I read the announcement from them, they had already taken it off so I couldn't tell if Malwarebytes didn't work or I wasn't an affected user. In fact, never had any alerts from malwarebytes, so I guess I'm not visiting these bad sites? Mine's fully updated, just the free version.