Purpleurchin cryptocurrency miners spotted scouring free GitHub, Heroku accounts

A stealthy cryptocurrency mining operation has been spotted using thousands of free accounts on GitHub, Heroku and other DevOps outfits to craft digital tokens. GitHub, for one, forbids the mining of coins using its cloud resources. The Sysdig Threat Research Team said at Kubecon this week it uncovered the activity, dubbed …

[Pascal Monett]

Seems like a lot of thought went into something that doesn't have a great return.

It's a shame that some people employ so much intelligence to do such selfish things.

[b0llchit]

Ans since when is intelligence appreciated in society?

You are the know-it-all. The pain in the arse correcting everyone. The one trying to do the right thing...

Yeah, that is very much appreciated...

[Oglethorpe]

I think that this would depend on how much effort each account is to set up. If it were automated, it's a great return for the scammers.

[Pirate Dave]

Look at the bright side - this kept them busy for a bit so they weren't spending their time trying to crypto-locker corporate desktops and demand ransoms. Yeah, it's not very bright for a "bright side", but at least it's something.

[b0llchit]

When a calculated number is money

Sure you have people calculating when you define an arbitrary calculated number to be worth anything more than nothing. It is also obvious that the availability of gratis calculation resources will result in them being used for calculating numbers when those numbers result in monetary reward.

Why again have these numbers any monetary value?

[Dave314159ggggdffsdds]

"The service providers, of course, aren't simply going to eat the unnecessary costs. They'll pass them along to legitimate, paying customers, which means higher cloud computing prices all around, it's suggested."

This is nonsense. The charge is already whatever the market will bear. Prices are as high as they can be, so profits will suffer. Does anyone care if Amazon et al lose a few quid?

[Cederic]

Yes. Cloud providers won't provide cloud services if they're not able to achieve a return on their investment.

Prices will rise or services will be withdrawn. Neither of these things are good for the people that use them.

[Dave314159ggggdffsdds]

Just because you don't like dealing with reality doesn't change what the reality is. The price will not rise, because it's at the highest level it can be. Services won't be withdrawn over an insignificant loss to criminals.

So, the question remains: do you care if Amazon loses a few quid? It won't affect anyone else in any way.

[Cederic]

Your assumption that cloud service providers can perpetually absorb increasing costs is not one I share.

I would further contend that the price is not the highest level it can be. It's kept at a rate that's competitive with alternatives, while still allowing a return on investment.

If that return on investment falls then the investment funds will be redirected, to where a better return to risk ratio is possible.

Thus if costs go up (due to criminality) either prices rise or investment falls (leading to a reduction in services available). Either of those options is a poor outcome for non-criminal cloud users.

You don't have to believe me. The article includes the views of industry experts. You're welcome to provide evidence that they're wrong - if you can find any.

[that one in the corner]

"Prices are as high as they can be"

Do you have any citation to back up that claim?

[Dave314159ggggdffsdds]

Re: "Prices are as high as they can be"

Sorry, you think it needs citations?! The burden of proof is obviously the other way around. Do you have any citation for your outlandish claim that sellers don't charge as much as possible for their products, and leave money on the table for no reason?

[that one in the corner]

Re: "Prices are as high as they can be"

> Do you have any citation for your outlandish claim...

FYI requesting a citation is in no way, shape or form "making a claim".

Even if you see a claim being made that you agree with but have not seen any genuine proof for, you must always seek citations, otherwise you are just sitting in an echo chamber of wishful thinking and fantasy.

> The burden of proof is obviously the other way around.

The best tactic of a flerf. Not a good debating model to follow.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Prices are as high as they can be"

At this point he usually accuses everybody of being nazis.

[renniks]

Crypto needs to die