Sunday, February 11th 2018
US and UK Government Websites Infected with Crypto-mining Malware
Potentially thousands of websites operated by various government ministries, departments, and statutory agencies, of the United States and the United Kingdom, could be infected with crypto-currency mining malware. The already infamously slow government websites, often crippled with bandwidth and hosting deficiencies, not to mention webpage design that's often behind web standards, are now embedded with crypto-miners thanks to outdated accessibility software.
Most government websites implement a web-based text-to-speech software called Browsealoud. Outdated versions of the software can be surreptitiously infected with crypto-mining scripts, by exploiting a vulnerability in the way the software dials home to the text-to-speech server. The scripts slow down computers by forcing them to mine crypto-currency for unauthorized people. Browsealoud has been developed by British software company Texthelp, which is reaching out to all its customers to update to the latest version of their software. It's always handy to have mining script blocking browser extensions.
Source:
Reuters
Most government websites implement a web-based text-to-speech software called Browsealoud. Outdated versions of the software can be surreptitiously infected with crypto-mining scripts, by exploiting a vulnerability in the way the software dials home to the text-to-speech server. The scripts slow down computers by forcing them to mine crypto-currency for unauthorized people. Browsealoud has been developed by British software company Texthelp, which is reaching out to all its customers to update to the latest version of their software. It's always handy to have mining script blocking browser extensions.
49 Comments on US and UK Government Websites Infected with Crypto-mining Malware
Frankly hyperbole like this makes you sound more ridiculous than the most seasons crypto-anarchist.
Drawing on the power grid to run a payment network is not the same as doing an actual directly harmful activity to society to run a payment network. Primary difference being: the power company can take the load without immediate consequences.
And please don't give me that "BUT CO2 EMISSIONS!" stuff. It drives me up the wall when I think about how ironic it is when we evaluate how much CO2 gaming has probably produced over the years.
They took your video cards, and you're mad. There's nothing wrong with that, but just admit it and don't hide behind environmental concerns.
Sorry for going off the topic.
With regards to Government websites being targetted by miners, arent private contracters responsible for maintaining infrastructures? so would it be possible its an inside job of some overenthusiastic employee getting too greedy.
If a distributed platform needed help with Blockchain, why couldn't they copy Folding@Home and ask for voluntary help from people with spare compute power? I'm pretty certain they would still get a lot of compute power just like Folding@Home or SETI without causing any of the mining related issues we've seen so far.
trog
trog
On a weird note, the US government is rumored to be actually moving quickly to enact and enforce restrictions on the use of cryptocurrencies and taxation of what will be allowed. There's been no conformation of such, but it seems likely. That's gonna torque a few folks..
I'm also free to point out gamers are a larger audience by far, and have historically done the same thing even if on a lesser scale, making those cries highly ironic.I don't care which one is bigger. My point is you lose your right to criticize when you are both part of the same problem. Scale is irrelevant.I don't need figures for this point.No, it's a deflection when a gamer says "but I only use x watts for meaninglessness"
It's the same problem. The environmental impact is real but we lose our right to criticize when we all contribute to the same problem.
Also, do not mistake my replies for personal offense. I rather enjoy debating, is all.
I know you are a firm believer in mining/crypto and will defend it under any circumstance but the point that you are trying to get across here makes no sense.
We may have to agree to disagree at this point. I am not exactly pro mining by the way. I am doing this latest project to learn and not because I love or endorse it.
Call me "anti-hypocritical"
Why do most people mine? For profit.
Why do people quit gaming? Life. Addiction. Disability. No longer entertained. Can't afford it.
Why do people quit mining? No longer profitable. Too much stress dealing with volatile market. No longer entertained.
I am about as heavy of a gamer as they get. I use one card at most 16 hours per day and it is very rare for it to hit and maintain 100% load because vsync is enabled. You're a casual miner using two cards that are collectively worth about four times the value of my one card and you're running them 100% 24/7. In terms of economic resources, I consume substantially less yet arguably get much more value. You're making what, $3/day now? Yeah, I definitely get more than that in terms of stress relief.
The fact that we're debating the value of stress relief is so hopelessly silly to me as to pretty much support my point. I do not view one activity as more legitimate than the other. If anything, I view both very slightly negatively, but still enjoy them enough to outweigh it.
And I make roughly $10.00 per day if I average against my investment policies, $6.00 if not.