The employee of a Russian nuclear weapons laboratory was recently sentenced to three years imprisonment and a "high" fine for crypto-mining. He was u. a. guilty of exploiting computer viruses and gaining access to digital information. His accomplices, however, came away with a black eye.

Opportunity makes thieves. Even scientists do not seem to always stay on the "right path". Just recently, an employee in Ukraine had used a nuclear power plant computer for crypto-mining. But even in March 2018, there was a similar case in the Meteorology Authority of Australia. And in April 2018, an employee of a Romanian Nuclear Research Institute was caught in crypto-mining.

Andrei Rybkin, a staff member of one of Russia's leading nuclear weapons research and development centers, has now been convicted along with two other colleagues. Three years imprisonment without parole and a fine of 2,800 euros. His two colleagues got a slightly milder judgment. Both were sentenced to four years imprisonment and fined.

It was usually cooked at night

At night all cats are grey. Respectively. (some) scientists seem to mutate into crypto-miners. Because according to court documents the crypto mining took place mainly at night. For mining, they use computers and a local service network in the nuclear weapons lab. The profits were shared among the individuals involved in crypto-mining.

The damage caused by the mining and spread of viruses on the system, according to authorities, amount to just over $ 15,000 (1,140,000 rubles).

Crypto-mining still profitable?

Just make money with crypto-mining? It's not that easy anymore. Alone the constantly rising electricity costs make us a line through the bill. And of course you have to get the necessary hardware first. But the so-called cloud mining is no longer as profitable as some may think.

The risks of cloud mining are mainly with dubious providers. But also the fact that most people simply lack the appropriate expertise. Of course, this "ignorance" will gladly be exploited. In general, one can say: It is almost safer and definitely easier to invest directly in a cryptocurrency. If you want to dig yourself for crypto currencies, you should either live in a country with very low electricity costs. Or if you want to operate cloud mining, at least acquire enough basic knowledge and look carefully, which provider and what terms you choose. Otherwise you have the disadvantage.