Hidden power-stealing crypto mining rig discovered in Polish court’s floors and ventilation system – MyBroadband

Police in Poland recently dismantled a massive crypto mining rig spread throughout the floors and ventilation ducts of a court, Polish news channel TVN24 reports.

The rig was discovered leeching off the electricity supply in the Supreme Administrative Court in Warsaw in September 2023.

Rough estimates by IT experts showed it was consuming electricity potentially worth several hundred to several thousands of Polish Zlotys every month.

At the time of writing, 1 Zloty was worth R4.67, which means 1,000 Zlotys are worth R4,670. However, it is unknown how long the rig was operating before being discovered.

Police discovered that the rig was fitted with networking equipment, which likely helped the operators control it remotely.

Although the culprits are yet to be confirmed, the court terminated a contract with an IT maintenance company shortly after discovering the rig.

It also fired two employees responsible for maintaining the parts of the court building where the rig was located.

Crypto mining is a notoriously power-hungry exercise, with the graphics cards typically used to power the rigs consuming multiple hundreds of watts each when at their most effective.

Mining becomes less profitable when the general crypto market is down, and a country’s electricity prices are high.

If you are not paying for the electricity, your only cost will be the initial price of the equipment.

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