Norton faces criticism for including a cryptocurrency mining program in its 360 security suite. Norton was positive about plans to include the software, but this move has sparked a lot of backlash. Norton claims that miners are safe and reliable, but this move raises concerns about the dynamics and ethics behind it.
Norton Crypto is turned off by default, but many users aren’t happy with the installation for a variety of reasons, including security concerns, suspicions, crypto dislikes, and environmental concerns. There is also the concern that the miner will not be able to uninstall it easily. Can a malware app hijack software and direct it to a hacker’s wallet? If it happens to Norton (a security suite provider), anything is possible.
The program mines Ethereum into a pool made up of other Norton users. The rosy glasses perspective is to make it easier for unskilled users to take the first step into the crypto ecosystem through easy-to-use software provided by trusted software developers. Given the proliferation of dubious crypto malware, some say it’s understandable and positive development.
Norton Miner runs only if it meets the basic system requirements, so it won’t run at all if you’re running countless millions of old or sub-specification machines. Hmm. Therefore, miners are optional, transparent, and run by (mostly) reputable software companies, but that’s the end of the positive part.
Norton miners charge a 15% pool fee, which is frankly ridiculous. Most Ethereum pools charge 1 or 2%, but mining software developers will be charged an even smaller fee. This is far from Norton’s 15%. Adding the cost of Ethereum transaction fees, it’s been very high these days due to network load, but it’s not easy to understand how users can make a profit. On top of that, there is an electricity bill. In some cases, users may be in the red.
Perhaps the biggest problem is that Norton Crypto exposes users who don’t understand how cryptography works. Norton deserves to be criticized for hanging “free money” carrots in front of someone who doesn’t understand what they’re doing or the mechanism behind cryptocurrency mining. .. It raises all sorts of ethical, social and economic concerns. Many would consider Norton’s actions to be predatory.
No matter what happens, Norton is laughing all the way to the bank thanks to its 15% fee. If it starts to scrape for millions of dollars, it’s only a matter of time before other legitimate software providers follow suit. The transition to Ethereum’s Proof of Stakes cannot be achieved fast enough. At the very least, the graphics card could actually be a graphics card again, not a mining card.
