Two threat intelligence reports reveal substantial increases in the level of malicious cryptocurrency mining, reflecting that this activity is being a top tactic among cyber criminals. In its June 2018 Threats Report, McAfee noted its count of total coin miner malware rose by 629% in the first quarter of this year, accounting to nearly 3 million samples. McAfee explains that cryptocurrency mining malware allows perpetrators to expend the least amount of effort using the fewest middlemen, and executing their crimes in the shortest time possible and with the least risk of discovery. And in its report for quarter one of 2018, WatchGuard noted that several cryptocurrency miners appeared for the first time in its list of the top 25 malware variants. WatchGuard’s analysts added that evidence so far from quarter two indicates that cryptomining malware will stay on its top 25 list and may even crack the top 10 by the end of the quarter.