Students are Mining Bitcoin in University Dorms, Campuses are Alert

While Bitcoin mining — which is the backbone of many public blockchains —  is often left to the operators of data centers, some university students have begun to try their hand at running their own, in-dorm mining efforts.

Bitcoin Mining In Unexpected Places — University Campuses

Speaking with CNBC journalists, Patrick Cines, a Penn State College graduate, highlighted his foray into cryptocurrency mining while living on campus grounds. The 2017 Penn State graduate stated:

“I had basically a box, maybe a foot and a half by a foot and a half tall. It was sitting in, right at the foot of my bed. Had several graphics cards.”

While this may have been the computer of a gaming enthusiast living in a cramped dorm room, Cines noted that this was actually a compact cryptocurrency mining rig. He noted that while in operation, this tiny, but powerful machine, was a substantial source of income for a university student with a crammed schedule, as mining farms can be used with a “set…