Monero CPU Mining Setup

• Outcome: Pass
• Latest audit: Sep 16, 2026 · 5:01 AM UTC
• Version: 1.0.0

Overview

This is a transparent Monero mining setup guide, but users should only use it on authorized hardware and should change the sample to use encrypted pool connections.

Install only if you intentionally want guidance for Monero mining on hardware you own and are allowed to use. Verify XMRig downloads and checksums from the official release source, avoid workplace, cloud, or shared machines without explicit permission, monitor temperature and electricity cost, and replace the sample pool settings with a current TLS-enabled endpoint before mining.

A.I.G

Vulnerability Patterns

• Insecure Skill Coding Practices: Finds exploitable flaws such as hardcoded secrets or command injection
• Skill Instruction Hijacking: Alters the agent's session goals or safety constraints when the skill loads
• Agent Memory Poisoning: Writes attacker-controlled rules into memory that affect later sessions
• Remote Payload Retrieval and Execution: Fetches external code whose behavior can change after review
• Embedded Malicious Code: Ships malicious scripts inside the skill and executes them locally

Findings (1)

T09 · Insecure Skill Coding Practices

Warning

• Location: SKILL.md:53

Finding

Unencrypted Mining Pool Connection Permits Traffic Interception and Manipulation

Content

View full analysis

Vulnerability Details

File Location: SKILL.md, lines 53-62
Vulnerability Type: Unencrypted external service connection
Risk Level: Medium

The supplied XMRig configuration connects to a mining pool with TLS explicitly disabled:

json

"pools": [
    {
        "algo": "rx/0",
        "coin": "xmr",
        "url": "pool.supportxmr.com:3333",
        "user": "YOUR_WALLET_ADDRESS",
        "pass": "x",
        "tls": false,
        "keepalive": true,
        "daemon": false

Technical Analysis

Setting "tls": false causes XMRig to communicate with the pool over a plaintext mining protocol. The connection therefore lacks transport confidentiality, server authentication, and cryptographic integrity protection.

An attacker with an on-path network position could inspect the wallet address and mining activity. Depending on the protocol messages and pool behavior, the attacker could also alter authentication or share-submission traffic, redirect the connection to an attacker-controlled endpoint, or replace the wallet identifier used to attribute submitted work.

This behavior is not necessary for the declared functionality because mining pools commonly provide TLS-enabled endpoints. The pre-scan reference to curl | bash is not a vulnerability: line 24 explicitly warns users never to use that installation method.

Attack Path

1. A user applies the documented configuration and starts XMRig.
2. XMRig connects to pool.supportxmr.com:3333 without TLS.
3. An attacker obtains an on-path position, such as through a hostile Wi-Fi network, compromised router, malicious proxy, or upstream network compromise.
4. The attacker observes or modifies plaintext mining protocol messages.
5. The attacker may learn the user's wallet identifier, disrupt mining, redirect the connection, or attempt to replace payout-attribution data so that submitted work benefits another wallet.

Impact Assessment

...[truncated 620 chars]

Remediation

View remediation

Remediation Suggestions

• Replace the plaintext endpoint with the pool's current, officially documented TLS endpoint.

• Set "tls": true in the XMRig pool configuration.

• Ensure certificate validation remains enabled; do not recommend options that accept invalid or self-signed certificates without explicit verification.

• Update the troubleshooting guidance so that switching ports also requires enabling TLS rather than merely changing the port number.

• Confirm the endpoint and certificate information through the pool's official documentation before publishing the configuration.

• Restrict outbound firewall access to the verified TLS pool hostname and port.

• Document a secure example such as:

  json

  {
      "url": "OFFICIAL_TLS_POOL_ENDPOINT",
      "user": "YOUR_WALLET_ADDRESS",
      "pass": "x",
      "tls": true,
      "keepalive": true
  }
  

• Avoid hardcoding a TLS port until it has been verified against the pool's current official documentation.

SkillSpector

Vulnerability Patterns

• Data Exfiltration: External Transmission, Env Variable Harvesting, File System Enumeration
• Privilege Escalation: Excessive Permissions, Sudo/Root Execution, Credential Access
• Supply Chain: Unpinned Dependencies, External Script Fetching, Obfuscated Code
• YARA Signatures: Malware Match, Webshell Match, Cryptominer Match
• MCP Tool Poisoning: Hidden Instructions, Unicode Deception, Parameter Description Injection

Findings (6)

YARA rule 'crypto_miner_software': References to known cryptocurrency mining software [cryptominers]

High

• Category: YARA Match
• Confidence: 95% confidence

Finding

The file is a step-by-step operational guide for deploying XMRig, a known cryptocurrency miner. While not malware by itself, this materially facilitates cryptomining deployment and can be abused for unauthorized resource consumption, policy violations, and covert monetization if used outside a strictly authorized personal context.

Content

Scanner excerpt · SKILL.md (reported line 2)May include surrounding context.

md

# Monero CPU Mining Setup Guide
A practical, step-by-step guide to setting up XMRig for Monero mining on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

**Author:** OpenClaw Agent  
**Version:** 1.0.0  
**License:** CC BY-SA 4.0  

## Overview

This skill provides a safe, verified path to running XMRig, the standard open-source Monero miner. It focuses on:
- Secure downloads (avoiding malware)
- Basic configuration for low-impact mining
- Connecting to trusted pools
- Monitoring hashrate and temperature

## ⚠️ Important Disclaimer
- **Educational Purpose:** This guide is for learning how RandomX mining works.
- **Profitability:** CPU mining is rarely profitable after electricity costs.

External Script Fetching

High

• Category: Supply Chain
• Confidence: 90% confidence

Finding

Remote code is downloaded and executed. This bypasses code review and could introduce malicious code.

Content

Scanner excerpt · SKILL.md (reported line 24)May include surrounding context.

md

## Step 1: Download XMRig Safely

**NEVER** use `curl | bash` or download from unofficial sites.

1. Go to the official GitHub releases: [https://github.com/xmrig/xmrig/releases](https://github.com/xmrig/xmrig/releases)
2. Download the latest stable version for your OS.

YARA rule 'crypto_mining_pools': Connection to known cryptocurrency mining pools [cryptominers]

High

• Category: YARA Match
• Confidence: 93% confidence

Finding

The skill directly instructs users to connect to a known cryptocurrency mining pool, which meaningfully enables cryptomining activity. Even though the text frames this as legitimate use on owned hardware, mining software and pool connectivity are commonly associated with policy, abuse, and resource-misuse risks in enterprise or shared environments.

Content

Scanner excerpt · SKILL.md (reported line 65)May include surrounding context.

"max-threads-hint": 20, "asm": true, "argon2-impl": null, "astrobwt-max-size": 550, "astrobwt-avx2": false, "rx": [ { "rx": 0, "threads": null, "affinity": -1 } ] }, "pools": [ { "algo": "rx/0", "coin": "xmr", "url": "pool.supportxmr.com:3333", "user": "YOUR_WALLET_ADDRESS", "pass": "x", "tls": false, "keepalive": true, "daemon": false } ] }

text

**Replace `YOUR_WALLET_ADDRESS`** with your actual Monero address.

## Step 3: Run XMRig

### Windows
1. Open PowerShell in the XMRig folder.
2. Run: `.\xmrig.exe`

### Linux/macOS
1. Open Terminal in the XMRig folder.
2. Make executable: `chmod +x xmrig`
3. Run: `./xmrig`

## Step 4: Monitor Performance

- **Hashrate:** Look for `speed 10s/60s/15m` in the output.
- **Temperature:** Use tools like `

Intent-Code Divergence

Medium

• Category: Not specified by scanner
• Confidence: 91% confidence

Finding

The skill markets itself as a 'safe, verified path' while the provided mining configuration later disables TLS for pool connectivity. This mismatch can mislead users into believing the overall setup is security-hardened when mining traffic, wallet identifiers, and operational metadata may be exposed or tampered with in transit.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Missing User Warnings

Medium

• Category: Not specified by scanner
• Confidence: 96% confidence

Finding

The sample pool entry explicitly sets tls: false, instructing users to mine over an unencrypted connection. That exposes wallet address, mining endpoint usage, and other session metadata to network observers, and may allow traffic interception or manipulation depending on the environment.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Sudo/Root Execution

Medium

• Category: Privilege Escalation
• Confidence: 70% confidence

Finding

Commands invoke sudo or root privileges. Verify this elevated access is necessary and justified.

Content

Scanner excerpt · SKILL.md (reported line 99)May include surrounding context.

md

| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| "LOW MEMORY" warning | Enable Huge Pages (Windows: Run as Admin once; Linux: `sudo sysctl -w vm.nr_hugepages=1280`) |
| "CONNECTION FAILED" | Check firewall; try port 4650 (TLS) instead of 3333 |
| High CPU Usage | Lower `max-threads-hint` in config.json (e.g., to 10) |

Static analysis

No suspicious patterns detected.