Cryptojacking Scripts

Python Based Cryptojacking Scripts

⚠️

This article is for educational purposes only. Unauthorized cryptojacking is illegal and unethical. Always obtain explicit permission before using someone else’s computing resources.

Introduction

Cryptojacking is the unauthorized use of computing resources to mine cryptocurrency. While it’s an unethical practice when done without consent, understanding the mechanics can help in developing better security measures. This article explores Python-based cryptojacking scripts, their implementation, and potential countermeasures.

Basic Cryptojacking Script

Let’s start with a simple Python script that simulates cryptojacking:

basic_cryptojacking.py

import hashlib
import time

def mine_block(data, difficulty):
    nonce = 0
    while True:
        hash = hashlib.sha256(f"{data}{nonce}".encode()).hexdigest()
        if hash.startswith('0' * difficulty):
            return nonce, hash
        nonce += 1

def main():
    data = "Transaction data"
    difficulty = 4
    start_time = time.time()
    nonce, hash = mine_block(data, difficulty)
    end_time = time.time()

    print(f"Block mined!")
    print(f"Nonce: {nonce}")
    print(f"Hash: {hash}")
    print(f"Time taken: {end_time - start_time:.2f} seconds")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

This script demonstrates a basic proof-of-work algorithm, similar to what cryptocurrencies use. The mine_block function attempts to find a hash with a specified number of leading zeros, which simulates the difficulty in cryptocurrency mining.

Stealthy Execution

Cryptojacking scripts often try to run undetected. Here’s an example of how one might attempt to hide its activity:

stealthy_cryptojacking.py

import psutil
import time
import subprocess

def is_user_active():
    return psutil.cpu_percent(interval=1) > 10

def mine_cryptocurrency():
    # Placeholder for actual mining code
    subprocess.run(["python", "miner.py"], capture_output=True)

while True:
    if not is_user_active():
        mine_cryptocurrency()
    time.sleep(60)  # Check every minute

This script only runs when the system appears idle, making it less likely to be noticed. It checks CPU usage to determine if the user is active and only mines when the system is relatively idle.

Distributed Cryptojacking

Cryptojackers might use distributed systems to increase mining power. Here’s a simple example using Python’s multiprocessing:

distributed_cryptojacking.py

from multiprocessing import Pool
import hashlib

def mine_block(data):
    nonce = 0
    while True:
        hash = hashlib.sha256(f"{data}{nonce}".encode()).hexdigest()
        if hash.startswith('0000'):  # Difficulty of 4
            return nonce, hash
        nonce += 1

if __name__ == '__main__':
    with Pool(processes=4) as pool:
        results = pool.map(mine_block, ["Data1", "Data2", "Data3", "Data4"])

    for i, (nonce, hash) in enumerate(results):
        print(f"Block {i+1} mined: Nonce = {nonce}, Hash = {hash}")

This script uses multiple processes to mine blocks simultaneously, potentially utilizing all available CPU cores.

Web-based Cryptojacking

Cryptojacking can also occur through web browsers. While typically implemented in JavaScript, here’s a Python Flask server that could serve a cryptojacking script:

web_cryptojacking.py

from flask import Flask, render_template_string

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/')
def index():
    return render_template_string("""
    <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html>
    <head>
        <title>Hidden Miner</title>
        <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/crypto-js/4.1.1/crypto-js.min.js"></script>
        <script>
            function mine() {
                let nonce = 0;
                while (true) {
                    let hash = CryptoJS.SHA256("Block data" + nonce).toString();
                    if (hash.startsWith('0000')) {
                        console.log("Block mined:", nonce, hash);
                        break;
                    }
                    nonce++;
                }
            }
            setInterval(mine, 1000);
        </script>
    </head>
    <body>
        <h1>Welcome to this innocent-looking page!</h1>
    </body>
    </html>
    """)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(debug=True)

This server delivers a web page that runs a mining script in the background, potentially using the visitor’s CPU resources without their knowledge.

Detection and Prevention

To detect and prevent cryptojacking, consider implementing the following techniques:

Resource monitoring:

resource_monitor.py

import psutil
import time

def check_resource_usage():
    cpu_usage = psutil.cpu_percent(interval=1)
    memory_usage = psutil.virtual_memory().percent

    if cpu_usage > 90 or memory_usage > 90:
        print("Warning: High resource usage detected!")

while True:
    check_resource_usage()
    time.sleep(60)  # Check every minute

This script monitors CPU and memory usage, alerting when usage is suspiciously high.

Network traffic analysis:

network_monitor.py

from scapy.all import sniff, IP

def analyze_packet(packet):
    if IP in packet:
        if packet[IP].dst in known_mining_pools:
            print(f"Warning: Possible mining activity detected to {packet[IP].dst}")

known_mining_pools = ["pool.supportxmr.com", "xmrpool.eu"]
sniff(prn=analyze_packet, store=0)

This script monitors network traffic for connections to known mining pools.

File system monitoring:

file_monitor.py

import os
import hashlib

def check_file_integrity(filepath, known_hash):
    with open(filepath, "rb") as f:
        file_hash = hashlib.sha256(f.read()).hexdigest()
    if file_hash != known_hash:
        print(f"Warning: File {filepath} has been modified!")

known_hash = "e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855"
check_file_integrity("/path/to/important/file", known_hash)

This script checks the integrity of important files to detect unauthorized modifications.

Cryptojacking Process Flow

Here’s a Mermaid diagram illustrating the typical process flow of a cryptojacking attack:

graph TD
    A[Attacker creates cryptojacking script] --> B[Script is deployed]
    B --> C{Deployment method}
    C -->|Web-based| D[Inject script into website]
    C -->|Malware| E[Infect target system]
    C -->|Social Engineering| F[Trick user into running script]
    D --> G[User visits infected website]
    E --> H[Script runs on infected system]
    F --> H
    G --> H
    H --> I[Script mines cryptocurrency]
    I --> J[Mined currency sent to attacker's wallet]

Mathematical Representation of Mining Difficulty

In cryptocurrency mining, the difficulty is often represented mathematically. For a given hash function $H$, target $T$, and nonce $n$, the mining process aims to find:

$$ H(block_header || n) < T $$

Where $T$ is calculated as:

$$ T = \frac{2^{256}}{difficulty} $$

This equation demonstrates why increasing difficulty makes mining exponentially harder.

Conclusion

While this article provides insights into cryptojacking techniques, it’s crucial to emphasize that unauthorized cryptojacking is illegal and unethical. These examples should be used only for educational purposes and to enhance cybersecurity measures. Always prioritize obtaining explicit consent before using any computing resources for cryptocurrency mining or any other purpose.

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