According to Simon Kenin, a TrustWave researcher, 200,000 routers were secretly programmed for mining Monero (XMR) across the country.

The cybercriminals were able to hack their way into the system using a malevolent code that covertly runs coinhive in the backend.

Forbes sources say that it was possible due to a small microchip located inside the router that is similar to that of any hand-held device. This Microchip is not very strong but is still capable of doing more than just connecting a user to the web or enabling WiFi services.

Even though mining does not pose a threat to cryptocurrencies and crypto-users accounts, it can lower the speed at which system works. In addition, the risk is greater for handheld devices as it can cause the device to overheat up to a point where it can melt.

Although a patch for this threat was provided by the manufacturer in April, many routers were not updated.

Crypto hijacking is becoming a very popular trend among cybercriminals because it brings stable income and requires less work.