Blockchain Mining Detection in Managed Networks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Managed networks face issues with malicious blockchain-based mining applications consuming significant processing resources and network bandwidth, leading to performance degradation when executed on multiple devices.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using process-based discovery within a remote network management platform to identify computing devices involved in blockchain-based mining by analyzing application processes and communication sessions, allowing for targeted resource management and bandwidth optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If blockchain-based mining applications are executed on computing devices in the managed network, then cryptocurrency mining can be performed, but processing resources and network bandwidth are consumed excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary discovery operations to identify computing devices engaged in blockchain-based mining before resource exhaustion occurs. By detecting mining applications through process analysis and network traffic monitoring in advance, the system can proactively manage resource allocation and prevent excessive consumption of processing power and bandwidth.
2Productivity
If multiple computing devices execute blockchain-based mining applications, then mining capacity is increased, but network bandwidth consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The discovery system continuously monitors network traffic and device processes, providing feedback about mining activities to the network management platform. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic control of mining operations, allowing the system to adjust resource allocation and bandwidth usage based on real-time detection of mining applications across multiple devices.
3Ease of operation
If discovery operations are carried out across computing devices to identify managed network components, then network management capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The discovery system is segmented into specialized components: process analysis modules that identify mining applications, network traffic monitoring modules that detect mining communication patterns, and a central management platform that consolidates discovery data. This segmentation allows each component to focus on specific detection tasks, improving management capability while distributing system complexity across modular elements rather than concentrating it in a single complex system.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An example embodiment relates to discovering computing devices in a managed network that are involved in blockchain-based mining. The example embodiment may involve a proxy server application that is disposed within the managed network, controlled by a remote network management platform, and configured to: provide, to a computing device disposed within the managed network, one or more instructions to identify one or more applications executing on the computing device; determine, for an application of the one or more applications that were identified, a command string used to invoke the application to execute on the computing device; compare the command string to a plurality of identifiers indicative of blockchain-based mining; determine that the command string includes an identifier from the plurality of identifiers indicative of blockchain-based mining; and based on determining that the command string includes the identifier, store, in a database, an indication that the application is associated with blockchain-based mining.