Cryptojacking detection with Sysdig's Falco

Cryptojacking, a form of cyberattack where attackers exploit systems to run cryptocurrency mining software, is a growing concern, as highlighted by incidents involving unsecured Kubernetes dashboards. Sysdig's Falco, an open-source container security monitor, plays a crucial role in detecting such activities by monitoring for anomalies within applications and containers. The blog details how cryptojacking scripts typically infiltrate systems through vulnerabilities, such as unsanitized inputs in Node.js applications, allowing attackers to execute unauthorized code. Falco can be deployed in Kubernetes as a Daemon Set, with customizable rules to identify suspicious activities like connections to common mining pool ports or the use of protocols like stratum+tcp. The article further explains how to create specific rules in Falco to detect these cryptojacking attempts, providing a means to enhance security through real-time alerts and integrations with various log management systems. Additionally, it introduces Sysdig Secure, an advanced solution offering further integrations and capabilities beyond Falco's monitoring, such as container activity auditing and automated responses to detected threats.