Which Unix tool can monitor real-time resource usage to detect anomalies such as cryptojacking?

• A. ps
• B. top
• C. ls
• D. grep

Answer: (B)

The idea is to watch how system resources are being used in real time so you can spot anomalies like a hidden miner consuming CPU cycles. The Unix tool that provides a live, constantly updating view of all running processes and their resource usage is top. It shows per-process CPU and memory usage, system load, and overall resource trends, all updated continuously. Because a cryptomining program typically uses a large share of CPU for extended periods, you can spot it quickly by looking for a process consuming unusually high CPU that doesn’t correspond to legitimate activity. You can sort the display by CPU usage to bring heavy processors to the top and drill into which program is responsible, which makes it an effective first-line detector.

Other commands like ps give a static snapshot of processes, and ls or grep have different, non-monitoring roles. They won't continuously reflect real-time activity or highlight spikes in resource use, which is why top is the best fit for monitoring and detecting such anomalies as they happen.