A new update to the Avira antivirus software will now allow users to earn crypto through coin mining. The problem: Not sure users understand that after paying a 15% commission and the electricity bill – they will not have much left
Legitimate move or exploitation of users? A new update to the Avira antivirus software has caused a stir on the Internet after adding the option to run a digital coin miner, which will use, with the consent of users, the processing power of their computers when not in use, allowing them to earn digital coins in return.
Avira is considered to be one of the most popular free antivirus software in the world. Behind Avira is NortonLifeLock, the owner of another free and popular antivirus software called Norton 360, which acquired Avira in early 2021 for $ 360 million. Later that year, the company announced that it was in the process of acquiring another popular antivirus software, Avast, but the deal had not yet been completed.
Avira’s new update will allow users to run a dedicated coin miner, built as part of the software’s free antivirus package, through which users will be able to earn one of the most popular digital currencies today, Ethereum. This is the same update as the update that came to the Norton 360 antivirus software as early as July.
How does it actually work? The built-in coin miner actually connects users with the Ethereum Coin Mining Database, allowing them to invest from their personal computer resources (usually at times when the computer itself is not in use, for example during the night), in order to mine digital coins while helping to lower the workload. It should be noted that for all users’ profits, Norton and Avira charge a commission of 15% of the amount of coins mined.
On the face of it, this does not seem to be a particularly problematic operation, which may even be beneficial as it makes the ability to mine coins accessible to a wide audience of users. It is also important to note that activating the feature involves full approval of the terms of use, so at the level of principle users should be aware of the various actions performed by their computer while using the premiere.
“No free gifts”
However, many cyber experts are concerned about the combination of antivirus software and digital coin miners. According to them, the combination of the two is illegitimate and may even hurt users who are not really aware of the different meanings and consequences that may appear as a result of use. These opinions are in addition to various reports claiming that the use of the currency’s built-in currency in these programs is not very profitable, when in most cases the value of the coins mined by users is equal to the amount they will have to pay in addition to their electricity bill. Thanks to the tax fee that users are required to pay.
“There are no free gifts, and in this case, even if it is done in principle with the consent of the users, I am not sure that the users are aware of the wear and tear on their computer components such as the video card or processor while mining, in addition to high electricity costs,” explains Alex Steinberg. The ESET information.
On the other hand, other experts in the crypto world argue that the solution may be legitimate, as long as users are indeed aware and recognize the possible consequences as a result of its use. “I strongly believe in personal responsibility, so as long as the user agrees to the terms of use, there is no problem in principle that the antivirus software will allow those users to mine coins,” explains Eli Bejarano, CEO of the Israeli crypto exchange Bit2C. These days, and nowadays it is possible to regulate the amount of resources while mining so that it will even be possible to use a computer while the actual mining is being done. In the end, everything has to be with the consent of the users, and as long as the users have the ability to mine coins, and they are aware of the terms of use and the resources required of them, they should do so. “