Parasitic computing is programming technique where a program in normal authorised interactions with another program manages to get the other program to perform computations of a complex nature. It is, in a sense, a security exploit in that the program implementing the parasitic computing has no authority to consume resources made available to the other program. In January 2014, Bitcoin mining malware was distributed through a Java exploit by compromised ads, displayed on the Yahoo website. In 2013, Bitcoin mining malware was installed as adware alongside other downloads, some pointing out the functionality in lengthy EULA texts. Malware including Bitcoin mining functionality was also secretly downloaded and activated by adware bundled with regular software downloads, both distributed by related companies in Israel and Ukraine. Bitcoin mining by personal computers infected with malware is being challenged by dedicated hardware, such as FPGA and ASIC platforms, which are more efficient in terms of power consumption and thus may have lower costs than theft of computing resources.

Adarsh S

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