In the past few years, the cryptocurrency world has seen dramatic growth. Out of all the cryptocurrencies available today, Bitcoin stands as the most valuable decentralized cryptocurrency. Although Bitcoin Pro may be the best place to trade bitcoin, it is important to remember that there are always risks associated with any type of investment. Make sure you understand the risks before making any decisions about investing in bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.
Other than just trading Bitcoin, many find Bitcoin mining a more profitable option. But it has a major barrier that it cannot be mined using personal computers.
Many Bitcoin mining enthusiasts consider mining Bitcoin using office computers. The power is free, the network dependable, and for 16 hours a day – no one is using the machines.
The point of concern is – are mining activities noticeable to others?
Some can get lucky, but there are high chances that your boss will eventually detect your Bitcoin mining activities. In this blog, we will have a closer look at this matter and see the possible reasons that can get you caught.
Bitcoin Mining at Office
A Bitcoin miner can only qualify for the reward if the miner verifies the transactions before other competitors and enter the blocks into the blockchain. Mining requires an uninterrupted strong network connection and GPU (graphics processing unit) or ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). Many office computers have at least some of these components. So Mining Bitcoin would be a great way to earn free money. So is it possible to mine Bitcoin utilizing office resources?
Although doing Bitcoin mining is not illegal, doing it using office computers is unethical. Firstly, you will stress hardware to their limits, which can decrease their lifespan and cause frequent damages. Secondly, you are going to consume a lot of electricity against fractional profit. Lastly, multiple signs can make your boss suspicious about your activities and eventually let you get caught.
Suspicious Signs associated with Mining Bitcoin in Office
There are multiple signs while mining Bitcoin using office resources that can trigger the attention of your boss. Following are some of the prominent signs in this perspective:
1. High Electricity Costs
One thing we know about Bitcoin mining is that it is very power-hungry. On average, crypto mining consumes 3-4 times more power than when a PC is in the rest state. When your PC is continuously working, it is demanding more power and generating more heat. The increase in heat means office air conditioners are in more work, while your PC requires more energy. Therefore, the overall electricity cost of an office can increase noticeably, which can alter your boss that something is wrong.
2. Noisy Fans
The PC mechanical fan is the most common part that gets damaged from crypto mining. Since it’s a mechanical part, so it has a definite lifespan. However, when you use an office PC for mining, your fan will generate continuous noise and get more vulnerable to damage soon. So, either the nonstop noise or frequent replacement requests can make your boss suspicious about your activities.
3. Slower Computers
Mining Bitcoin from an office PC means you are making it work continuously without any breaks. As a result, your CPU usage will be massive, which will impact its overall performance. If, by any chance, your boss or other managerial staff sits with you and starts using your PC, then the slower performance or excessive CPU usage statistics can make them suspicious. In addition, the amount of heat your PC generates and its frequent alarms about high temperatures are other factors that can trigger doubts.
4. Antivirus Detection
Mining Bitcoin means you will install crypto mining software in your office PC and use office network resources for mining. Unfortunately, most corporate antivirus tools can discover software in your PC or identify mining-related activities and present them as threats.
Cybercriminals are also taking advantage of such mining software for ransomware and other similar attacks. So, possibly your organization has set up an antivirus scanning framework that detects crypto mining software and its related activities to protect its networks and systems. Therefore, even if your slower computer performance and the noisy fan didn’t make things suspicious, antivirus scanning can expose you out.
Bitcoin Mining from Office – Yes or No
From all the above signs, we can say that if you love your job, then don’t even think of mining Bitcoin in the office. You will be making a tiny profit compared to the resources you will consume. Even if you remain undetected for some time, eventually, your activities will trigger your boss’s attention.
The Safe Approach – Lower Power Mining
Since Bitcoin mining at the office is very risky due to its hefty power consumption, you can mine other cryptocurrencies that demand fewer power resources. As per the research conducted by TRG Datacenters, many valuable cryptocurrencies consume significantly less power, such as Dogecoin consumes 0.12 kWh, Litecoin consumes 18.522 kWh, and Ethereum consumes 62.56 kWh per transaction compared to 707 kWh of Bitcoin.
Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin, is becoming 99.95% energy efficient by adopting the proof-of-stake protocol. They are targeting this transition in the upcoming months, which will be game-changing. So, if you are an enthusiast of mining while in office, opt for lower power-consuming cryptocurrencies. This way, you can mine those cryptocurrencies first and then convert them into Bitcoin. So, it’s an indirect and much safer way to mine Bitcoin.
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Wrapping Up
It is phrased that “if you want to mine Bitcoin, don’t do that at company time”. But the better version in present times is “if you want to mine Bitcoin, don’t do that at company time using company resources”. Although mining Bitcoin using office resources seems a free way to make a handsome profit, the consequences are still worse. You can end up with costly plenty or even get fired. So, in a nutshell, if you want to do crypto mining in office, then consider lower power-consuming currencies or opt for trading instead of mining.