The release notes of the beta version of major web browser Firefox released by open source development company Mozilla reveal that it now blocks web-based cryptojacking attempts on March 18.
The aforementioned release notes inform that “users can block known cryptominers [cryptojacking scripts] and fingerprinters in the Custom settings or their Content Blocking preferences.” Cryptojacking is the concealed use of others’ computing power to mine cryptocurrency.
Information technology news outlet BleepingComputer reported in March that the Firefox Tracking Protection is powered via the Disconnect.me blacklist. This blacklist reportedly blocks also the Coinhive and Crypto-Loot domains, which offer in-browser mining services since Nov 16, 2017.
Research by security research company BadPackets claims that the Coinhive mining script is responsible for 81.6% of all web-based cryptojacking. Crypto-Loot, on the other hand, is reportedly responsible for 10.2% of the rest.
Still, this initiative on Mozilla’s part wasn’t publicized. Also, while BleepingComputer claims that this function is default only when in private browsing mode, tests performed first hand by the author of the article prove otherwise.
As Cointelegraph reported at the end of August last year, Mozilla was already announced that it will block cryptojacking malware in future versions of Firefox at the time.
The perception legality of cryptojacking apparently varies based on the location. In March, a Japanese court has acquitted a man who was accused of cryptojacking on his website while an Ukrainian man has been arrested and faces six years in prison for doing the same on his websites.
