We've discussed the potential for stealing CPU cycles from javascript-enabled browsers many a time. It seems one coffee shop in Buenos Aires has put it into practice:
A customer of Starbucks Buenos Aires accused the popular café company of illegally mining Bitcoin using his personal laptop. Noah Dinkin, the man who discovered that his laptop was being used to mine cryptocurrency via Starbucks' free WiFi, tweeted a screenshot to prove it. [It] shows that the WiFi provider in Starbucks Buenos Aires forces a 10 second delay when you first connect to the WiFi so it can mine crypto using the customer's laptop.
Starbucks responded to Dinkin on Twitter to clear up the accusation 10 days later.
Other twitterers pointed out that the crypto-currency in question was in fact Monero, not Bitcoin.
Also covered by The Register and the BBC among others.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday December 15 2017, @02:11AM (4 children)
You actually pay for your WiFi with 10 seconds CPU time (and battery juice).
Other than not being advertised (thus it was a steal of from resources you own), do you see it as a problem?
On the same vein.
- Mmmmm... would you be willing to donate some CPU cycle to Wikipedia to mine some cryptocurrency (instead of being nagged for donations), as long as you are in control on the amount of resources you donate?
- What if the site asking you this is owned by Murdoch News?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by looorg on Friday December 15 2017, @03:24AM
This was my thinking to, "... mine cryptocurrency via Starbucks' free WiFi". There is no such thing as that free cup of coffee/lunch or you know WiFi. It's getting paid for somehow. When overcharging for coffee isn't enough if you are going to sit there at Starbucks all day with the other hipsters (or whatever) trying to work on your screenplay or to steal "free wifi" so you can "work on your life projects" I guess they want you to buy more then that one cup of endless coffee. They might as well get some of your spare CPU cycles, it's not like most of their customers are using them for anything good anyway.
Murdoch News (aka FOX) nah he doesn't deserve my cryptocycles ... Murloc News Network on the other hand ... that could be interesting ... BBBRRRMMMGGGGRRRGRGRGLLL!!!
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Friday December 15 2017, @05:27AM (1 child)
I live right in the goddamn centre of a tourist town, and if you walk down my street (between a very touristy street and another touristy street) you'll see the "FatPhil Guest" wifi available for use, no password. If someone desperately needing a drink were to ask for a glass of water, I'd give it to him, even though I pay per m3 of water. If someone desperately needed the internet, something I pay nothing extra per byte, of course I'd share. I've benefitted from the generosity of others historically, of course I'm happy to pass it on. Sorry for not being so goddamn (American and) selfish.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday December 15 2017, @06:34AM
I see you don't mean free like in the "free as Wikipedia that annoys me with donation requests even after I donated".
Of course it can't detect I donated, I'm not gonna let them put a tracker on me or create a user/passwd with them.
Yes, living in Europe affords one to not be selfish, I know that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by kazzie on Friday December 15 2017, @09:03AM
As I see it, the problem is that you're not paying Starbucks for the wi-fi, you're paying whoever fiddled with the login page.