Opera has introduced a new feature for its mobile browser which prevents smartphones being used to secretly help attackers mine cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Recently, Opera had released its Opera 50 version desktop browser for Windows, macOS, and Linux which added numerous features including anti-cryptocurrency mining.
Growing popularity of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has led to unethical practices like cryptojacking. Mining requires considerable power and ends up slowing down smartphones that are affected by it. Opera says that scripts mining for cryptocurrencies can increase a smartphone’s CPU usage up to 100 percent, resulting in overheating and battery drainage.
There are currently more than 3 million websites exposed to cryptojacking. This new feature essentially blocks mining scripts so that the smartphones along with their batteries, function normally. The feature is activated by default when activating the ad blocker on Opera Mini and Opera for Android.
Opera has also created a website for users to check if their browser is affected by unwanted crypto mining. The website is called ‘cryptojackingtest’ and can be used on smartphones as well as desktops.
