Israeli security firm Check Point uncovered a large-scale cryptocurrency mining operation which installed malware on servers running Jenkins, an automation software designed for web development. The mining operation has, to date, mined around $3.4 million worth of Monero using malware installed on internet-connected Jenkins servers.
Unlike other illicit cryptocurrency mining operations, this one targeted servers rather than personal computers, which is why it went undetected long enough to earn some serious cash — $3.4 million as of this reporting.
The mining operation, which Check Point tracked to China, exploited a known vulnerability in Jenkins servers which allowed them to essentially ask the automation software to download and install the crypto-mining software. Jenkins, the ever-faithful automation software happily obliged.
Though this mining operation didn’t target personal computers, Check Point speculates that its presence on these Jenkins servers could still have some negative effects for everyday people.
“The JenkinsMiner could negatively impact the servers, causing slower load times and even issuing a Denial of Service. Depending on the strength of the attack, this could prove to be very detrimental to the machines,” Check Point reports.
While this kind of vulnerability might not be of concern to most people, it should definitely raise some eyebrows for web developers. It’s not the first time Jenkins servers have been exploited, and according to Bleeping Computer, exposed Jenkins servers pose a serious security risk to the web at large.
Citing research from security expert Mikail Tunç, Bleeping Computer reports that the researcher detected 25,000 exposed and vulnerable Jenkins servers as of mid-January. These servers are vulnerable not only because of the known exploits which hackers can use to turn them to their own ends but because of their connection to the internet. Insulating a Jenkins server from the web would be a big step in the right direction and keep hackers from repurposing a benign automation tool into a crypto-mining powerhouse.
This cryptocurrency mining operation is just one of many similar operations, siphoning clock cycles to mine Monero or other cryptocurrencies. According to Bleeping Computer, illicit Monero mining is already seeing an enormous uptick in 2018, with no signs of slowing down.
Why Monero? Well, Monero is an open-source cryptocurrency designed to be untraceable, private, and highly secure. Its security features make it an excellent choice for privacy-minded individuals, and sadly, illicit operations like this malicious mining operation.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.