RAPID CITY MAN DIES IN MOTORCYCLE CRASH WEST OF CUSTER MONDAY

by Herb Ryan, posted in Custer County

CUSTER, S.D. – A 63-year-old Rapid City man has been identified as the person who died Monday in a motorcycle crash west of Custer.

Michael Welch was driving a 2017 Harley FLHTK westbound on U.S. Highway 16 when he failed to negotiate a turn. The motorcycle collided with the guard rail.

The driver died at the scene. He was not wearing a helmet.

South Dakota’s Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

An approximate location on the crash can be found at: CUSTER COUNTY FATAL CRASH.13

The Highway Patrol is part of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

SDDA OFFERS WEED-FREE FORAGE CERTIFICATION

by Herb Ryan, posted in Agriculture - Ranching, South Dakota

 

Hay producers can add value to their product by having it certified noxious weed-free forage through the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA).

“This is a win-win situation. A farmer can get a better price for their forage and it helps prevent the spread of noxious weeds,” said Ron Moehring, state weed supervisor and program specialist for the weed-free forage program.

The certification program is the first step to preventing the spread of new noxious weeds into forests and natural areas. Straw used in soil erosion reclamation projects or animal bedding must also be free of noxious weeds.

“I’m selling my hay at a higher price, $3 to $4 a bale more,” said Travis Ismay of Vale, SD. “I didn’t have to treat my fields much differently than I had been doing. I just had to have the inspector come out and certify the field before I cut the hay.”

Cost of certification is $250 for the first acre and $2 an acre for the rest of the field that is inspected. A request for certification needs to be made to the SDDA 10 days prior to expected harvest date. The crop will be certified using the NAISMA Weed Free Forage list and the South Dakota Noxious Weed list. A field can still be certified weed free if listed weeds are present in the field, however those weeds cannot seed before harvest takes place.

“Once the inspector arrives at the field, they must walk the perimeter of the field in question, then crisscross or zigzag through the field by coming in at one point (or side) and leaving at a different point, looking for any of the designated weeds. In addition, a buffer area on the perimeter must also be weed-free, as well as hay storage areas.  A certificate of inspection is completed and sent to the producer. Once a field is certified, the producer has a designated time period to harvest the crop. If the crop isn’t harvested within the time frame, the field must be re-certified to verify no seeds have formed. The producer will identify the inspected forage by a special tag available through SDDA,” Moehring said.

For more information about South Dakota weed-free forage program visit https://sdda.sd.gov/ag-services/weed-and-pest-control/weed-free-forage/ or contact Moehring at ron.moehring@state.sd.us or 605.773.3796.

Agriculture is a major contributor to South Dakota’s economy, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture’s mission is to promote, protect and preserve South Dakota agriculture for today and tomorrow.

Visit us online athttp://sdda.sd.gov or find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Net Neutrality Needs Bipartisan Legislation, Not More Political Theater

by Herb Ryan, posted in Business, International

BY U.S. Senator John Thune

I support net neutrality. I support rules that prevent blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization of internet traffic. I believe these principles should guide us on Capitol Hill as we work to expand broadband access to even the most remote and rural areas of the country.

You might be surprised to learn that most of my fellow senators believe this too.

Unfortunately, manufactured controversy often gets more attention in Washington than real solutions. We have seen this in recent months as some in Congress and outside groups have shaped an ominous narrative surrounding the way we regulate the internet.

The internet is too important for partisan politics. Congress must codify widely accepted net neutrality protections through bipartisan legislation.

Instead of crafting forward-looking solutions that protect internet users and promote innovation, however, Congress will spend time on more political theater.

Rather than voting for 21st Century rules to protect the internet, we’ll be taking a show vote on whether to look backwards and re-apply rules meant for the old Ma’ Bell phone system to the modern internet.

This is a mistake, and only delays concrete protections for a free and open internet.

The misguided decision to apply regulations created in 1934 for voice telephone services to the internet—adopted on a party-line vote by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2015—has, according to the FCC, slowed investment, preventing the improvement and expansion of services to the 39 million Americans living in rural parts of the country.

The uncertainty in the future of regulation, caused by the ever-shifting political winds, means investments to connect more Americans in states like South Dakota are likely to remain stagnant.

It doesn’t have to be this way. For years, I have called for bipartisan legislation—by elected representatives, not unelected bureaucrats at the FCC—that would permanently ban blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization by broadband internet providers.

The new leadership of the FCC has given us an opportunity to do just that, by freeing the internet from outdated, monopoly-era regulations.

If the Democrats are serious about long-term protections for consumers, they should look ahead towards a bipartisan solution, rather than looking backwards and trying to reverse the current FCC’s Restoring Internet Freedom Order.

Claims that this order would mean slower internet speeds have already been rebutted in a recent independent fact check.

The bottom line is, Congress should be spending time on a permanent solution that is not subject to Washington power shakeups—one that will spur all communities into the 21st Century and encourage a new wave of American innovation and competitiveness.

Regardless of how the Senate votes this month, the Congressional Review Act (CRA) effort will not provide Americans with lasting protections for the internet. If anything, the tempest over the CRA has stalled conversations among legislators on both sides of the aisle who have demonstrated eagerness to come together and find a bipartisan solution.

Once the latest showdown is over, we should set aside the fear mongering and manufactured hand-wringing and get to work on a solution that ends this debate and protects the economic engine of the internet for generations of Americans to come.

EMERALD ASH BORER CONFIRMED IN SOUTH DAKOTA

by Herb Ryan, posted in Agriculture - Ranching, Environment
Emerald Ash Borer, Photo:USDA

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) has confirmed that an infestation of emerald ash borer (EAB) has been discovered in northern Sioux Falls. This is the first confirmed infestation in South Dakota. Emerald ash borer is an invasive insect that has killed tens of millions of ash trees in at least 32 states.

On May 9, 2018, Secretary Mike Jaspers implemented an Emergency Plant Pest Quarantine in order to prevent or reduce the spread of the EAB. This emergency quarantine is effective immediately.

The quarantine restricts the movement of ash materials in all of Minnehaha County, in areas north of Highway 18 in Lincoln County and north of Highway 18 and east of Highway 19 in Turner County, unless accompanied by the appropriate authorization from the SDDA. These regulated ash materials include: ash nursery stock; ash logs, lumber, wood chips or mulch, including trimmed ash tree branches; and pallets made out of ash. Movement of firewood from any hardwood species, whether intended for commercial or private use, is also restricted within the quarantine area.

Ash trees within the quarantine area should not be pruned or removed unless absolutely necessary until after Labor Day to prevent spread of EAB. As a precautionary measure, people with ash trees in good condition within the quarantine area who want to save those trees should consider treating them now. Treatment information, as well as more information on EAB and response efforts, can be found by visiting emeraldashborerinsouthdakota.sd.gov the SDDA’s dedicated EAB webpage.

The SDDA is hosting EAB information forums on Thursday, May 10, at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 12 at 1 p.m. at the Game, Fish and Parks Outdoor Campus located at 4500 South Oxbow Avenue in Sioux Falls. These forums will provide important information for residents in the quarantine area on EAB and current efforts to limit its spread. Dr. John Ball, Forest Health Specialist for the SDDA and SDSU Extension Forester, as well as officials from the SDDA and the City of Sioux Falls, will present information and answer questions.

Agriculture is a major contributor to South Dakota’s economy, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture’s mission is to promote, protect and preserve South Dakota agriculture for today and tomorrow. Visit us online at http://sdda.sd.gov or find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY OFFERS CYBER LEADERSHIP DEGREE – NEW SPECIALIZATIONS

by Herb Ryan, posted in Education, South Dakota

VERMILLION, S.D. – A new degree program that would attract, after it is fully implemented, more than 100 students to Dakota State University to study cyber leadership will be available starting this fall.

The South Dakota Board of Regents authorized the university in Madison to offer a bachelor of science degree in cyber leadership and intelligence, both on campus and online. It is the first program of its kind at the state’s public universities, although Dakota State does grant related degrees in cyber operations and in network and security administration.

DSU officials said this unique interdisciplinary program equips students with the knowledge of cyber systems and world cultures, international politics, human behavior, and leadership. New graduates will be prepared to work with government leaders and corporate executives to develop strategies to defend those organizations from cyber disruption. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates more than 28,000 professionals will be needed in cyber-related fields by 2026.

In other action, the regents approved two new specializations available to students within existing degree programs at Dakota State.

One is a specialization in artificial intelligence and machine learning, which will be an option for study within the B.S. degree in computer science. Graduates with this specialization will learn certain skills related to automation of tasks and analyzing data, which will provide them new opportunities for employment in multiple workforce sectors.

Also approved was a specialization in information assurance within the DSU master of science degree in information systems. This focused study will prepare graduate students to manage risks related to the use, processing, storage, and transmission of information or data. Graduates with this specialization will be prepared for employment in high-demand occupations such as IT business analyst, information architect, information assurance manager, IT manager, chief security officer, and chief technology officer.

CITY OF CUSTER CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS- REGULAR SESSION MAY 7th, 2018

by Herb Ryan, posted in Custer, South Dakota

Mayor Corbin Herman called to order the first meeting of the Common Council for the month of May 2018 at 5:30 p.m.  Present at roll call were Councilpersons Maciejewski, Heinrich, Fischer, Blom and Arseneault. City Attorney Chris Beesley was present. The Pledge of Allegiance was stated.

AGENDA

Councilperson Arseneault moved to approve the agenda. Second by Councilperson Fischer, the motion unanimously carried.

MINUTES

Councilperson Heinrich moved, with a second by Councilperson Blom, to approve the minutes from the April 30th special council meeting. The motion unanimously carried.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

No conflicts of interest were stated.

2017 AUDIT PRESENTATION

            Traci Hanson with Ketel Thorstenson, LLP presented the 2017 audit. Councilperson Fischer moved to accept the 2017 audit as presented.  Seconded by Councilperson Arseneault, the motion unanimously carried.

CUSTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTATION

            Dave Ressler along with Chamber Staff, presented an overview of the Custer Area Chamber of Commerce activities and contributions to the community.

CUSTER BID BOARD PRESENTATION

            Marcel Wahlstrom, BID Board President and Brad “Murdoc” Jurgensen with HomeSlice Media Group, present the Custer BID Board 2018 marketing campaign.

EXECUTIVE PROCLAMATION – ARBOR DAY

            Councilperson Maciejewski moved to approve the executive proclamation for Arbor Day. Seconded by Councilperson Blom, the motion unanimously carried.

EXECUTIVE PROCLAMATION

            WHEREAS, In 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees, and

WHEREAS, the holiday, called Arbor Day, was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska, and

           WHEREAS, Arbor Day is now observed throughout the nation and the world, and

WHEREAS, trees can reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil by wind and water, lower our heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen and provide habitat for wildlife, and

WHEREAS, trees are a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires and countless other wood products

WHEREAS, trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify our community, and

WHEREAS, trees, wherever they are planted, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that I, Corbin Herman, Mayor of the City of Custer City, South Dakota, do hereby proclaim May 14th, 2018 to be

ARBOR DAY

in the City of Custer City, SD, and I urge all citizens to celebrate Arbor Day and to support efforts to protect our trees and woodlands.  Further, I urge all citizens to plant and care for trees to gladden the heart and promote the well-being of this and future generations.

City of Custer City

S/Corbin Herman, Mayor

ATTEST: Laurie Woodward, Finance Officer

HOMESLICE MEDIA CONTRACT – CUSTER BID BOARD

            Councilperson Fischer moved to approve the Advertising Agency Retainer Contract with HomeSlice Media for 2018 for a monthly retainer of $1,750 in addition to the cost of any media placed, with two minor changes being made to a year and county. Seconded by Councilperson Blom, the motion carried with Councilperson Maciejewski, Heinrich, Fischer, Blom and Arseneault voting yes.

TOBY BRUSSEAU PRODUCTIONS CONTRACT – CUSTER BID BOARD

            Councilperson Heinrich moved to approve the Marketing Services Agreement with Toby Brusseau Production, LLC for 2018 for a yearly total of $38,400. Seconded by Councilperson Fischer, the motion carried with Councilperson Heinrich, Fischer, Blom, Arseneault and Maciejewski voting yes.

MARKETING MANAGER CONTRACT – DOLSEE DAVENPORT – CUSTER BID BOARD

            Councilperson Heinrich moved to approve the Marketing Manager Contract with Dolsee Davenport for 2018 at a rate of $1,000 a month. Seconded by Councilperson Maciejewski, the motion carried with Councilperson Fischer, Blom, Arseneault, Maciejewski and Heinrich voting yes.

DRAINAGE EVALUATION & DESIGN SERVICES PROPOSAL – ACES

            Councilperson Maciejewski moved to table the drainage evaluation & design services proposal from ACES to allow for more information to be gathered. Seconded by Councilperson Heinrich, the motion unanimously carried.

WEST DAM RECONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AMENDMENT #3 – BANNER

            Councilperson Heinrich moved to approve the West Dam Reconstruction Contract Amendment #3 with Banner for $11,800. Seconded by Councilperson Maciejewski, the motion carried with Councilperson Blom, Arseneault, Maciejewski, Heinrich and Fischer voting yes.

MAILBOX REPLACEMENT POLICY

            Councilperson Fischer moved to approve the Mailbox Replacement Policy as presented by the Public Works Director. Seconded by Councilperson Blom, the motion unanimously carried.

CLAIMS

            Councilperson Maciejewski moved, with a second by Councilperson Heinrich, to approve the following claims.  The motion carried unanimously.

Advanced Drug Testing, Safety, $36.00

AFLAC, Insurance, $588.92

AFCME Council 65, Dues, $86.14

Battle Mountain Humane Society, Animal Control Contract, $1,000.00

Beesley Law Office, Professional Fees, $4,130.00

Black Hills Energy, Utilities, $3,363.03

Toby Brusseau Production, Bid Board Advertising, $5,600.00

Calamity Jane Winery & Mercantile, Supplies, $778.00

Century Business Products, Supplies, $201.59

Core and Main LP, Supplies, $791.88

Culligan, Repairs and Maintenance, $18.50

Chronicle, Publication, $926.70

Custer County Housing and Redevelopment Commission, Subsidy, $2,000.00

Custer Do It Best, Supplies, Repairs and Maintenance, $70.79

Custer Hospitality, Bid Board, $259.59

Custer True Value, Supplies, Repairs and Maintenance, $724.16

California State Disbursement, Deductions, $106.38

Clay County Sheriff, Safety, $15.00

Dacotah Bank, TIF #2 Payment, $8,122.07

Dacotah Bank, TIF #4 Payment, $16.41

Delta Dental, Insurance, $148.20

Discovery Benefits, Supplies, $856.92

Edward Enterprises, Cemetery Caretaker Contract, $4,571.43

EFTPS, Taxes, $12,643.92

Fastenal, Supplies, $35.80

First Interstate Bank, TIF #4 Payment, $16.40

First Interstate Bank, TIF #1 Payment, $8,705.28

First Western Insurance, Supplies, $50.00

French Creek Supply, Supplies, Repairs and Maintenance, $237.98

Golden West Telecommunications, Utilities, $614.00

Golden West Technologies, Repairs and Maintenance, $1,500.00

Golden West Technologies, Professional Fees, $673.50

Green Owl Media, Professional Fees, $140.00

Gunderson, Palmer, Nelson & Ashmore, LLP, Professional Fees, $75.00

Hawkins, Supplies, $2,816.48

Image All, Supplies, $45.50

Jenner Equipment, Repair & Maintenance, $820.26

Scott Kellogg, Supplies, $181.00

Ketel Thorstenson, Professional Fees, $12,788.76

KLJ, Professional Fees, $5,700.00

Mclain, Mitch, Bid Board, $442.55

NBS Calibrations, Repairs and Maintenance, $186.00

Petty Cash, Supplies, $396.75

Pitney Bowes, Supplies, $48.69

Quality Auto Body, Repairs and Maintenance, $95.00

Quill, Supplies, $78.73

Rapid Delivery, Professional Fees, $51.76

RYCOM Instruments INC, Supplies, $681.74

S & B Motors, Supplies, Repairs and Maintenance, $39.36

Sander Sanitation, Garbage Collection Contract, $13,422.54

SD State Long Distance, Utilities, $44.38

SD Secretary of State, Supplies, $30.00

Servall, Supplies, $165.02

Simon Materials, Repairs and Maintenance, $3,537.93

SD Department of Criminal Investigation, Safety, 173.00

SD Department of Revenue, Professional Fees, $312.50

SD Retirement System, $6,058.08

Supplemental Retirement, $620.00

Taylor Drilling Co., Repairs and Maintenance, $9,263.21

Unemployment Insurance Division of SD, $664.89

United Way, Contributions, $100.00

Verizon Wireless, Utilities, $446.14

Wellmark, Insurance, $11,519.05

Wesdak Welding and Diesel LLC, Supplies, Repairs and Maintenance, $352.00

Wright Express, Supplies, $732.15

Dicarlo, Christina, Utility Deposit Refund, $49.98

Midtown Partitions, Utility Deposit Refund, $32.87

Briah Player, Utility Deposit Refund, $21.60

Mayor & Council, $4,400.00

Finance Department, $5,822.78

Public Buildings, $2,702.41

Planning Department, $6,886.55

Public Works Department, $3,032.99

Street Department, $7,721.35

Cruisin Department, $79.10

Parks Department, $3,327.06

Water Department, $11,546.14

Wastewater Department, $11,363.87

Total Claims, $187,923.76

DEPARTMENT HEADS & COMMITTEE REPORTS

            Various committee reports were given in addition to department heads giving an update.

ADJOURNMENT

            With no further business, Councilperson Arseneault moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:05 p.m. Seconded by Councilperson, Blom, the motion carried unanimously.

ATTEST:                                                                                       CITY OF CUSTER CITY

Laurie Woodward                                                                          Corbin Herman

Finance Officer                                                                              Mayor

COMBAT RAIDER EXERCISE 18-2 SCHEDULED FOR MAY 15-17

by Herb Ryan, posted in Global Terrorism, U.S. Military

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. – Combat Raider, a large force exercise involving various military aircraft, is scheduled to begin May 15 in the Powder River Training Complex, and will conclude May 17, 2018.

These LFEs provide joint and coalition training under realistic scenarios that replicate combat operations against modern threats.

During this period, people living under the PRTC military operations areas can expect to see multiple types of aircraft utilizing the areas simultaneously.

There is also potential for loud noises associated with sonic booms. All B-1 supersonic activities will occur above 20,000 feet Mean Sea Level and all transient fighter supersonic activity will occur above 10,000 feet Above Ground Level. Residents living under the following PRTC military operations areas may be affected by these activities:

–       Powder River Two

–       Powder River Three

–       Gap B

A map of the airspace is attached for reference and can be found on the Ellsworth Air Force Base website at http://www.ellsworth.af.mil/Portals/146/documents/AFD-151103-009.pdf.

As a reminder, non-military aircraft should thoroughly review the Federal Aviation Administration’s Notices to Airmen, or NOTAMs, and review flight plans to avoid these areas and altitudes where aircraft will be participating. This can be done by calling 1-800-WXBRIEF, or online at https://sua.faa.gov/ and http://www.1800wxbrief.com.

The NOTAMs for the exercise are the final official notice and will be issued by the FAA 72 hours prior to its start

South Dakota Board of Education Standards Holds First Reading To Update Graduation Requirements

by Herb Ryan, posted in Education, South Dakota

VERMILLION, S.D. – The South Dakota Board of Education Standards held a first reading of proposed changes to state graduation requirements at its meeting today.

The proposal came about after discussions among education stakeholders across the state this spring. South Dakota’s current graduation requirements were adopted in 2009. Stakeholders have been examining whether these requirements continue to meet the needs of students, employers and communities.

Proposed changes aim to combine opportunities for rigor, student engagement and flexibility. The proposal was developed to provide students with multiple opportunities to meet their postsecondary and career goals within a framework of general high school graduation requirements.

Learn more about the proposed requirements by visiting http://doe.sd.gov/gradrequirements/.

The public is encouraged to engage in the statewide conversation about this proposal. The official public comment period will open June 6. Written comments will be accepted until July 13, with a public hearing before the Board of Education Standards scheduled on July 16.

CRYPTOJACKING SPREADS ACROSS THE WEB

by Herb Ryan, posted in South Dakota

Pranghu Bajpai
Richard Enbody
Michigan State University

 

Right now, your computer might be using its memory and processor power – and your electricity – to generate money for someone else, without you ever knowing. It’s called “cryptojacking,” and it is an offshoot of the rising popularity of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.

Instead of minting coins or printing paper money, creating new units of cryptocurrencies, which is called “mining,” involves performing complex mathematical calculations. These intentionally difficult calculations securely record transactions among people using the cryptocurrency and provide an objective record of the “order” in which transactions are conducted.

The user who successfully completes each calculation gets a reward in the form of a tiny amount of that cryptocurrency. That helps offset the main costs of mining, which involve buying advanced computer processors and paying for electricity to run them. It is not surprising that enterprising cryptocurrency enthusiasts have found a way to increase their profits, mining currency for themselves by using other people’s processing and electrical power.

Our security research group at Michigan State University is presently focused on researching ransomware and cryptojacking – the two biggest threats to user security in 2018. Our preliminary web crawl identified 212 websites involved in cryptojacking.

Types of cryptojacking
There are two forms of cryptojacking; one is like other malware attacks and involves tricking a user into downloading a mining application to their computer. It’s far easier, however, just to lure visitors to a webpage that includes a script their web browser software runs or to embed a mining script in a common website. Another variant of this latter approach is to inject cryptomining scripts into ad networks that legitimate websites then unknowingly serve to their visitors.

The mining script can be very small – just a few lines of text that download a small program from a web server, activate it on the user’s own browser and tell the program where to credit any mined cryptocurrency. The user’s computer and electricity do all the work, and the person who wrote the code gets all the proceeds. The computer’s owner may never even realize what’s going on.

Is all cryptocurrency mining bad?
There are legitimate purposes for this sort of embedded cryptocurrency mining – if it is disclosed to users rather than happening secretly. Salon, for example, is asking its visitors to help provide financial support for the site in one of two ways: Either allow the site to display advertising, for which Salon gets paid, or let the site conduct cryptocurrency mining while reading its articles. That’s a case when the site is making very clear to users what it’s doing, including the effect on their computers’ performance, so there is not a problem. More recently, a UNICEF charity allows people to donate their computer’s processing power to mine cryptocurrency.

However, many sites do not let users know what is happening, so they are engaging in cryptojacking. Our initial analysis indicates that many sites with cryptojacking software are engaged in other dubious practices: Some of them are classified by internet security firm FortiGuard as “malicious websites,” known to be homes for destructive and malicious software. Other cryptojacking sites were classified as “pornography” sites, many of which appeared to be hosting or indexing potentially illegal pornographic content.

The problem is so severe that Google recently announced it would ban all extensions that involved cryptocurrency mining from its Chrome browser – regardless of whether the mining was done openly or in secret.

The longer a person stays on a cryptojacked website, the more cryptocurrency their computer will mine. The most successful cryptojacking efforts are on streaming media sites, because they have lots of visitors who stay a long time. While legitimate streaming websites such as YouTube and Netflix are safe for users, some sites that host pirated videos are targeting visitors for cryptojacking.

Other sites extend a user’s apparent visit time by opening a tiny additional browser window and placing it in a hard-to-spot part of the screen, say, behind the taskbar. So even after a user closes the original window, the site stays connected and continues to mine cryptocurrency.

What harm does cryptojacking do?
The amount of electricity a computer uses depends on what it’s doing. Mining is very processor-intensive – and that activity requires more power. So a laptop’s battery will drain faster if it’s mining, like when it’s displaying a 4K video or handling a 3D rendering.

Similarly, a desktop computer will draw more power from the wall, both to power the processor and to run fans to prevent the machine from overheating. And even with proper cooling, the increased heat can take its own toll over the long term, damaging hardware and slowing down the computer.

This harms not only individuals whose computers are hijacked for cryptocurrency mining, but also universities, companies and other large organizations. A large number of cryptojacked machines across an institution can consume substantial amounts of electricity and damage large numbers of computers.

Protecting against cryptojacking
Users may be able to recognize cryptojacking on their own. Because it involves increasing processor activity, the computer’s temperature can climb – and the computer’s fan may activate or run more quickly in an attempt to cool things down.

People who are concerned their computers may have been subjected to cryptojacking should run an up-to-date antivirus program. While cryptojacking scripts are not necessarily actual computer viruses, most antivirus software packages also check for other types of malicious software. That usually includes identifying and blocking mining malware and even browser-based mining scripts.

Installing software updates may also help users block attacks that try to download cryptojacking software or other malicious programs to their computers. In addition, browser add-ons that block mining scripts can reduce the likelihood of being cryptojacked by code embedded in websites. Further, users should either turn off or use a strong password to secure remote services such as Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Connection or secure shell (SSH) access.

Cryptocurrency mining can be a legitimate source of revenue – but not when done secretly or by hijacking others’ computers to do the work and having them pay the resulting financial costs.