Some Government Websites Are Infected with Crypto-Mining Malware

We’re talking thousands of government websites.

Crypto-mining malware that makes use of your PC’s resources is not a novelty. However, affected websites are usually torrent trackers or untrustworthy websites that you shouldn’t be visiting anyway. Well, it looks like some US and UK government websites can also become hosts for this malware. To be more specific, thousands of websites from government ministries, departments, and statutory agencies will try to infect your system. Many of these sites already report problems such as bandwidth and hosting deficiencies. Some of their web pages are behind web standards, and outdated accessibility software allows them to become easy targets for miners.

How does the malware work?

The malware in question slows down your PC and forces it to mine crypto-currency for unauthorized individuals. The problem is that many gov websites use a web-based text-to-speech software called Browsealoud. Some outdated versions of Browsealoud can host crypto-mining scripts due to a vulnerability related to the text-to-speech server. British software company Texthelp, which developed the software, is now urging users to perform updates. Until then, however, you should definitely be careful what government websites you visit. Moreover, in order to be on the safe side, you can always install browser extensions that block mining scripts.

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