The Pirate Bay (TPB) has resumed its cryptojacking activities. The P2P file-sharing platform launched another browser script that hijacks unused CPU power of site users to mine cryptocurrency. TPB launched a similar browser script in September 2017 but discontinued it after vociferous protests from site users.
TPB is Running the Crypto Loot Web Miner
According to reports, the platform is running the web miner script called crypto loot. In a post on the TPB forum from June 2018, a user on the platform first reported the presence of the mining script on the TBP platform.
TPB appears to have set a new throttle value of 0.9 (90 percent throttle) for this latest coin mining script. Some users are reporting significant CPU utilization leading to overheating of their computers while browsing the site. When TPB tried to mine coins on its users’ computers last year, the script was throttled between 60 to 80 percent.
One possible explanation for the increased utilization of users’ CPU might be TBP’s need for increased revenue. These days, people tend to enable adblockers on the browsers. Thus, revenue from banner ads has declined significantly. Besides, P2P file sharing sites aren’t exactly cash cows for mainstream online advertising.
Platform Moderator Doesn’t Think it’s a Significant Issue
As expected, the development hasn’t gone down well with some site users. Many of them take exception to the fact that there isn’t an option to opt-out of their computing resources being forcefully used to mine cryptocurrency. Others decry the fact that the website administrators did not announce the fact that they had resumed running a web miner.
One of the super moderators of the TPB online forum, Sid, expressed disappointment at the development. Sid, however, opined that it wasn’t much of a problem, saying:
[Sic] Yeah, yeah, whatever. The time it takes to download a torrent is completely and utterly irrelevant. All you require from TPB is a magnet link. Open the site. Find a torrent. Click the magnet link. Close the site. End of miner. If you are ever on TPB for more than 5 minutes or so you’re doing it wrong. And if you’re ever on TPB without an ad blocker you’re doing it doubly wrong.
The Scourge of Cryptojacking
Cryptojacking isn’t exclusive to P2P file-sharing sites. In fact, the practice has surpassed virtual currency-based ransomware as the preferred attack mode of cryptocurrency hackers. At the center of the cryptojacking universe is Coinhive and the script it provides that enables people to commandeer the CPU of others to mine cryptocurrency.
There are hundreds of thousands of infected websites and users have to take precautions to safeguard their computers. So far, the practical means of protection include browser extensions like NoScript or ScriptBlock.
What do you think about The Pirate Bay resuming its cryptojacking activities? Keep the conversation going in the comment section below.
Images courtesy of Pirates-forum.org, Shutterstock
