VPNTop CPU Miner

Threat Scorecard

Threat Level: 80 % (High)
Infected Computers: 11
First Seen: October 16, 2017
Last Seen: May 12, 2023
OS(es) Affected: Windows

The VPNTop CPU Miner software is a module installed by the VPNTop service promoted at www[.]vpntop[.]com. The VPNTop service is marketed as a service that allows you to bypass censorship technologies in countries like The United Arab Emirates, China and Russia. The VPNTop service relies on a virtual network that handles traffic from customers and allows them to explore resources on the Internet that may have been banned in their region. The VPNTop service can be taken advantage of by paying 10 USD a month or 5 USD a month if you make a subscription for a year.

You may want to reconsider using the VPNTop service because cybersecurity experts discovered the VPN app performs an unsolicited installation of a cryptocurrency miner program on the client's PC. The VPNTop CPU Miner is observed to hijack as much as 50% of the CPU resources and mine for digital money such as Digicoin, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Monero and Ethereum. The VPNTop CPU Miner is not mentioned anywhere at www[.]vpntop[.]com and PC users do not have the opportunity to opt out of installing the mining app. The VPNTop CPU Miner software is designed to process a continuous stream of data packets from various servers, and your network bandwidth is likely to suffer negative consequences. Additionally, hijacking the system resources means your overall computer productivity is limited significantly.

It may be argued that the VPNTop CPU Miner is a monetization technique that helps the VPNTop service function properly, but that would be a valid argument if the service were free. The company behind VPNTop generates a steady revenue from subscriptions, and it appears to utilize its customer's CPUs for profit without their knowledge. The address 135 West Beaver Creek Rd, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1L2, Canada listed on www[.]vpntop[.]com points to a park area. Also, the www[.]vpntop[.]com site is registered via a privacy protection company, and it is hard to say who is behind the VPNTop CPU Miner software. PC users are advised to avoid using the VPNTop service and run a complete system scan with a reputable anti-malware utility if they suspect that their CPU resources may be hijacked.

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