Cryptocurrency mining malware has been one of the most prolific forms of malicious software distributed by cyber criminals throughout 2018, but given how some view it as relatively benign compared with other more damaging attacks like ransomware and trojans, it's occasionally overlooked as a threat.
However, cryptojacking malware - which secretly hijacks the processing power of infected machines to mine for cryptocurrency on behalf of the attacker - is still ultimately a form of malware and users can't afford to be complacent about it.
That's because cryptocurrency miners give attackers a foothold into PCs which can be exploited to deliver more damaging malware in future, security firm Fortinet has warned in its latest threat landscape report - noting that underestimating cryptojacking places organisations under heightened risk.
"What we're finding out is that this particular malware also has other nefarious activities that it does while it's mining for cryptocurrency," Anthony Giandomenico, senior security researcher at Fortinet's FortiGuard Labs told ZDNet.
"It will disable your antivirus, open up different ports to reach out to command and control infrastructure, it can download other malware. Basically, it's reducing or limiting your security shields, opening you up to lots more different types of attacks"...
Read more: Why cryptojacking malware is a bigger threat to your PC than you realise | ZDNet