Microsoft bans cryptocurrency mining on Azure without pre-approval - SiliconANGLE (2024)

Microsoft bans cryptocurrency mining on Azure without pre-approval - SiliconANGLE (1) BLOCKCHAIN

Microsoft Corp. has banned customers from using Azure services for cryptocurrency mining unless pre-approval is granted.

The change in the Universal License Terms for Online policy came into effect on Dec. 1 but was unnoticed at the time until it was highlighted in an Azure Solution Area post. The post , widely reported today, states that crypto mining is explicitly prohibited across all Microsoft Online Services without pre-approval.

The Acceptable Use Policy adds mining cryptocurrency to a list of prohibited actions that include breaking laws, spamming and distributing malware, an action that could lead to the death or injury of any person and any action that involves gaining unauthorized access to a service or network.

“Violation of the Acceptable Use Policy in this section may result in the suspension of the Online Service,” the AUP reads. “If Microsoft suspends the Online Service, Microsoft will suspend only to the extent reasonably necessary.”

A spokesperson for Microsoft told The Register that the change had been made as“cryptocurrency mining can cause disruption or even impairment to Online Services and its users and can often be linked to cyber fraud and abuse attacks such as unauthorized access to and use of customer resources.”

“We made this change to further protect our customers and mitigate the risk of disrupting or impairing services in the Microsoft Cloud,” the spokesperson explained, before adding that permission to mine crypto “may be considered for Testing and Research for security detections.”

Microsoft is not alone in banning crypto mining. Google LLC’s Cloud, Oracle Corp. and DigitalOcean LLC, among others, also ban the practice without approval.

Crypto mining is resource-intensive, but cloud services such as Azure also charge based on resource use, so despite the official explanation of “disrupting or impairing services,” it’s not immediately clear why Microsoft has decided to ban the practice now.

The Register speculated, however, that Microsoft may be concerned that miners would not pay their cloud bills amid the ongoing crypto winter. Another consideration is that the crypto sector has been hit by scandal recently and Microsoft may want nothing to do with it.

Photo: Microsoft

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Microsoft bans cryptocurrency mining on Azure without pre-approval - SiliconANGLE (2024)

FAQs

Microsoft bans cryptocurrency mining on Azure without pre-approval - SiliconANGLE? ›

The company didn't have much explanation on the ban. However, in an update on Azure - its cloud platform - Microsoft said that crypto mining is prohibited in all online services as part of actions required to "secure the partner ecosystem."

Is crypto mining allowed on Azure? ›

crypto mining is not allowed for when you use Azure free account or accounts with credits. If you pay for your account you can use it, but you will pay more for the resource than what you will earn from the mining so don't do it.

How to tell if your computer is secretly mining cryptocurrency? ›

Unusual CPU Usage. One of the most telltale signs of cryptojacking or malware infection is a sudden and unexplained spike in CPU usage. Since crypto mining requires significant computational power, an infected device will often show high CPU usage even when not performing any intensive tasks.

Does China allow crypto mining? ›

Crypto trading and mining has been banned in China since 2021. Run used bank cards issued by small rural commercial banks to buy cryptocurrencies through grey-market dealers, and capped each transaction at 50,000 yuan ($6,978) to escape scrutiny. "Bitcoin is a safe haven, like gold," says Run.

Where is bitcoin mining banned? ›

Some of the countries where cryptocurrency is illegal are: Qatar. Saudi Arabia. China1.

Which crypto cannot be mined? ›

Ether is no longer mineable; it is paid in fees to those who have staked their ETH. The only other way to acquire it is to purchase it on an exchange.

Can crypto mining be illegal? ›

In many jurisdictions, Bitcoin mining is legal. However, there are still some countries where it is illegal, so it's important to check the activity's status in your country before you start mining.

Does mining crypto damage your computer? ›

The Risks of Crypto Mining

The first risk is that mining can damage your computer hardware. If your computer isn't properly ventilated, the heat generated by the mining process can damage components. This is why it's important to use a dedicated mining rig or a cloud-based mining service.

Is crypto jacking illegal? ›

Cryptojacking might seem like a harmless crime, since the only thing 'stolen' is the power of the victim's computer. But the use of computing power for this criminal purpose is done without the knowledge or consent of the victim, for the benefit of the criminal who is illicitly creating currency.

Can crypto mining be detected? ›

Cryptocurrency mining can be detected in the network. Machine learning can be employed to detect mining services automatically. Dedicated web application collects IP addresses and service availability of various mining pool servers.

Is Bitcoin banned in Russia? ›

The circulation of cryptocurrencies will not be prohibited. The organization of circulation is prohibited – that is, the creation of exchanges and exchangers outside the zone of operation of the experimental legal regime.

How much Bitcoin does Russia own? ›

Russian citizens reportedly own 16.5 trillion rubles ($214 billion) worth of cryptocurrencies, according to government estimates. Records show that China holds 194,000 BTC, 833,000 ETH, and a variety of other unnamed cryptocurrencies.

What is China's cryptocurrency called? ›

Digital renminbi (Chinese: 数字人民币; also abbreviated as digital RMB and e-CNY), or Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DCEP, Chinese: 数字货币电子支付; pinyin: Shùzì huòbì diànzǐ zhīfù), is a central bank digital currency issued by China's central bank, the People's Bank of China.

How much bitcoin does China own? ›

Governments Holding the Most Bitcoin

Governments across the world own an estimated 565,749 BTC, representing 2.69% of the total supply. The Chinese government reportedly holds 194,000 BTC that was recovered from the Plustoken scam in 2019. Members of the Ukrainian government privately hold roughly 46,351 BTC.

Why did China ban bitcoin? ›

The People's Bank of China argues that its ban on cryptocurrencies is to curtail financial crime and prevent economic instability. However, China's cryptocurrency ban comes amid fears that cryptocurrencies were facilitating capital flight from its markets, bypassing conventional restrictions.

Can the US government stop bitcoin? ›

A government can stop their citizens from accessing their bitcoins by cutting their internet access. But they cannot stop the transaction once it has been accepted into a block. This is because that transaction is copied to every single full node on the network (upwards of 5000 computers).

Is Microsoft banning cryptocurrency mining on cloud services? ›

Microsoft has banned cryptocurrency mining from its online services to protect all of its cloud customers, media reports said. Microsoft's Summary of Changes to the license states: "Updated Acceptable Use Policy to clarify that mining cryptocurrency is prohibited without prior Microsoft approval."

Can I mine crypto on cloud? ›

Cloud mining is a method to mine cryptocurrencies by leasing equipment or renting computing power from data centers. It offers a more accessible avenue to mining, eliminating hardware and operational challenges.

Can AWS detect crypto mining? ›

Customers can use AWS IoT Device Defender to help audit and monitor their edge device fleet. In this blog post, we show you the steps involved in helping to detect and mitigate cryptocurrency mining threats on edge devices using AWS IoT Device Defender custom metrics.

Where is crypto mining allowed? ›

Yes, there are several countries that allow legal cryptocurrency trading and mining. Some examples include the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

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