Microsoft has officially banned crypto mining within its Azure cloud services in an inconspicuous way.
Google Cloud also prevented the use of its servers for crypto mining without written approval.

Tech giant, Microsoft has modified its policy terms restricting access to Bitcoin and crypto mining. Users who intend to mine cryptocurrencies within its Azure Cloud Services must receive pre-written approval from the company. Microsoft appears not to have publicized this decision beyond the Summary of Changes page.

Mining is the process of verifying and adding transaction records to proof-of-work blockchains.

As Per the Summary of Changes page, Microsoft updated its Universal License Terms for Online Services on December 1 to “clarify that mining cryptocurrency is prohibited without prior Microsoft approval.”

Neither Customer, nor those that access an Online Service through Customer, may use an Online Service … to mine cryptocurrency without Microsoft’s prior written approval

The update said.

The software giant claimed that cryptocurrency mining can cause disruption or even impairment to its cloud platform Azure. What’s more, its users are frequently linked to “cyber fraud” and “abuse attacks” involving unauthorized use of customer resources.

Microsoft isn’t the first time a tech giant has banned crypto mining without written approval, while Oracle and OVH have been the first to follow the trail.

Amazon’s AWS also prohibits crypto mining for its 12-month free trial. Theoretically, if amazon was to use all its EC2/AWS machines to mine bitcoin, it would end up spending more money on energy and hardware than it would make on bitcoin.

Google followed the lead of Apple by banning crypto-mining apps from its Play Store. The company had previously banned crypto-currency mining extensions on its Chrome browser. The move marks another step by which banks and tech companies get to grips with the practicalities of crypto-currencies.

MICROSOFT PROHIBITS CRYPTO MINING #Crypto #news #Mining pic.twitter.com/cOQSt35iid

— Crypto Bratan (@cryptobratan1) December 15, 2022

Cryptocurrency Mining

Mining for virtual currencies has become profitable in recent years thanks to rapid rises in the valuations of established and new coins. Mining is intrinsic to the operation of most crypto-currency systems because it is the way that the distributed computer systems keep track of who spent or transferred which coin.

Some malware gangs have also moved to adopt cryptocurrency mining. Many poorly-protected websites have had mining code inserted into them to use visitors’ computers to generate cash.

Some groups have been building vast crypto-currency “mines”, stacking hundreds of computers under one roof to create digital currencies as quickly as possible.

Microsoft recently issued a warning to its users about a new malware program designed to mine cryptocurrency. The mining malware was dubbed ‘LemonDuck’ and was designed to infect computers running Windows and Linux across multiple nations, including India, through phishing emails, exploits, USB devices, and brute force attacks.

Microsoft would not allow computationally expensive proof of work techniques but might allow the less demanding proof of stake method proved to be mere speculation if the company’s explanation was comprehensive.