Anatomy of a Cryptojacking

How criminals are using hijacked computers to earn cryptocurrency

Many cybercriminals are beginning to move on from ransomware attacks in favor of something called cryptojacking—taking over the processing power of hijacked computers and using it to earn cryptocurrency.

According to a McAfee Inc. report released in June, cryptojacking is becoming a favorite among cybercriminals because it’s “simpler, more straightforward and less risky” than ransomware or stealing data.

Hijackers...