Cryptocurrency mining is best avoided. Don’t do it yourself, and don’t let attackers use your devices to do it. Cryptocurrency mining is a computationally intensive process of validating digital currency transactions that allows the miner to earn transaction fees and digital currency.

Illicit cryptocurrency mining has displaced ransomware as the number one cyber security threat, according to industry experts (Forbes, 3/4/18).  It can harm institutions by using significant and costly amounts of computing time and electricity and slowing system performance.

Don’t use U-M resources for mining

You are prohibited from using university resources (including computing equipment, network services, and electricity) for cryptocurrency mining activities outside of faculty-approved research and coursework according to Responsible Use of Information Resources (SPG 601.07). This use is essentially theft.

Protect yourself from mining malware

Attackers use phishing techniques to trick victims into clicking links that load cryptocurrency mining code on their computers or infect websites with malicious code. The only sign of this victims may notice is a slowing of their computer’s performance.

Protect yourself against unauthorized use of your own computer by following IT security best practices: keep your software and apps up-to-date, do not click suspicious links in email, do not open shared documents or email attachments unless you are expecting them and trust the person who sent them, and only use secure, trusted networks.

Learn more on the Safe Computing website:

• Notice: Do not use U-M resources for cryptocurrency mining
• Phishing & Suspicious Email