Los Alamos Scientists Develop AI to Fight Cryptojacking

Their neural network works faster and more reliably than non-AI systems, researchers said.

By Danny Nelson

Aug 21, 2020 at 2:28 p.m. UTC

Updated Sep 14, 2021 at 9:46 a.m. UTC

Join the most important conversation in crypto and Web3 taking place in Austin, Texas, April 26-28.

Secure Your Seat

Danny Nelson

Join the most important conversation in crypto and Web3 taking place in Austin, Texas, April 26-28.

Secure Your Seat

Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory, the U.S. government-funded research outpost that once hosted the atomic bomb Manhattan Project, say they have designed an artificial intelligence for detecting would-be cryptojackers.

In a press release, the scientists said their new AI sniffs out malicious code injections that can turn vulnerable supercomputers into zombie cryptocurrency mining operations, a serious IT issue that strikes governments and corporations globally.
Called SiCaGCN, the neural network works by checking if a given program has the right backend structure to run on the computer system. Those that do, pass through. Those that don't, get flagged for removal.
“This type of software watchdog will soon be crucial to prevent cryptocurrency miners from hacking into high-performance computing facilities and stealing precious computing resources,” project researcher Gopinath Chennupati said in the statement.
SiCaGCN detected cryptojacking code faster and more reliably than non-AI solutions, according to the statement. The scientists originally proposed SiCaGCN in the journal IEEE Access last month.

DISCLOSURE

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.

Danny Nelson

Learn more about Consensus 2023, CoinDesk’s longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.

Danny Nelson