Cryptojacking isn't a path to riches - payout is a lousy $5.80 a day

Cryptojacking, the hijacking of computing resources to mine cryptocurrency, turns out to be both relatively widespread and not particularly profitable, according to a paper published by code boffins from Braunschweig University of Technology in Germany. In a paper distributed via ArXiv, researchers Marius Musch, Christian …

[JohnFen]

Just say no to Javascript

"their approach mixing static and dynamic analysis performs better."

Perhaps so, but detection isn't necessary if you never allow scripts to run.

[DropBear]

Wait, what?

Bloody hell - you mean all I have to do is hijack five websites to never have to bother working for a living ever again...? I swear the next pompous idiot I hear going "crime doesn't pay" is in for a few rounds of fisticuffs...

[Cuddles]

Missing something

The trouble with the analysis here is that it seems to assume all the mining is done independently. $5.80 per day is profitable if that's all you get, but stick your code on 1000 sites and it looks a lot better. Which, according to this previous Reg article is exactly what's happening - https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/08/15/coinhive_mining_money/ - there's code running on 1/500 of the top million sites, but it's all paying the same 10 people.

Ultimately, that's the big problem with the idea that legitimate mine-to-view could replace adverts on websites. As these articles point out, it's basically impossible for a single site to actually make money that way, it's only malicious networks covering thousands of sites that can make significant amounts of money, and they only manage that by not having to pay the costs of actually running those sites.

[GnuTzu]

Re: Missing something -- Level of Effort?

"...but stick your code on 1000 sites..."

Just what level of effort is it to keep your code on that many sites? ...without getting caught?

Just saying, as I actually have no idea.

[Anonymous Coward]

Still worth it

It is like spam, you make almost nothing per email but you don't personally send millions of emails you have a script do it. Same thing for compromising web sites and making them mine for you, you have a script that does it while you sit back and collect that $5.80/day on each site your script successfully compromises.

Even if it was only a penny a day if you could maintain a thousand compromised sites at once on average it is worth it in low income countries.

[Claptrap314]

Per tab cpu limits

Nice idea, but the ad networks will scream bloody murder. Ever hit a major news site without ad protection?

[Frenchie Lad]

Dammed by Association

Nothing like unbiased journalism! An example of a site that has had crypto mining is shown complete with picture. The site is Polifact. Guess who's in the picture? One DT & missus. No doubt pure coincidence of course. Anyone would think he's made billions this way.

[Alan Brown]

"Anyone would think he's made billions this way."

As opposed to repeatedly losing billions on real estate deals.

Maybe cryptoming's the real source of all that unexplained money and not pesky russian money launderers after all.

[W.S.Gosset]

Trump's private returns match the stock markets

Trump has lost money on deals. Trump has made money on deals.

As was pointed out a couple of years ago, he has --personally&independently-- made the same return nett or slightly better as has the US stock market over his business lifetime.

He might be a ratbag, but he IS a canny businessman.