Bitcoin malware

[AlanHo]

Over the past 3 days my computer has suddenly run slow for various periods of up to an hour when it will resume normal operations.  The periods coincide with the time that my Malwarebytes software has quarantined stuff called Trojan.bitcoin miner sometimes with other prefixes I have not made a note of.

This morning I noticed the computer was crawling along again and opened Malwarebytes to scan the drive and found it had quarantined 6 different bitcoin miner items.

I have run a few scans with Malwarebytes and Windows Defender to no avail. I have also searched the registry and come up empty.

 

It may be a pure coincidence, but 3 days ago using IE11 I tried to downloaded some free software recommended by "Computer Active" called 'Folder Colorizer' - but Malwarebytes would not permit it to be installed. Firefox did the same claiming it was malicious. I have Emailed the magazine and they are looking into it. They claim that when they tested it before going to print it worked fine for them. I await their findings.

 

This afternoon I fired up Acronis and restored my C: drive back to the day before the problems started. So far the computer is working fine and Malwarebytes has not had to stop anything . Hopefully I have rid the machine of the evil malware.

 

[Gandalph]

The Bitcoin Malware has been doing the rounds for a few month's now Alan. It, at the moment, is only affecting Windows Machines. Just make sure that you do not open any attachments to e-mails that you don't know. 

The software (bug) for Bitcoin Mining can also be transmitted to your machine via downloaded pictures in the Mpeg and Jpeg formats. There are other formats as well but I forget what they are now as it is so long ago since I read about it. 

[andsome]

I am always careful about what I open. I will be extra careful now.