Ukraine Security Service Shuts Down Illegal Crypto Farm With 3800 PS4 Consoles Sucking 200k electricity monthly
The security service of the Ukrainiane (SBI) shut down a mining farm holding 3800 PS4 Consoles. The cryptominers exploited a deserted warehouse there and used energy to mine bitcoins from the electricity system in the city.
The perpetrators illegally used the electricity network. According to the authorities, the monthly costs would amount to a maximum of 7 million Ukrainian hryvnia, converted to about 215,000 euros.
Obtaining graphics cards and ASIC miners has been quite difficult, these Ukrainian miners took a different approach to cryptocurrency mining. The Security Service of Ukraine discovered the illegal mining operation and reported that more than 50 processors, 500 graphics cards, and 3,800 PlayStation 4 consoles were seized in a raid. Yes, the miners had more than 3,800 PS4 consoles set up to mine cryptocurrencies. It's certainly an uncommon way to mine crypto, but it seemed to work for these miners as they had this large number of consoles set up for mining. Even though these miners were using PS4 consoles to mine, it is certainly not the most efficient way to mine cryptocurrency, but the 8GB GDDR5 at 5.5Gbps looks like it was paying off for them. With a 256-bit bus, the PS4's memory bandwidth is 176 Gbps, with this you can do the mining work, but it's certainly not that good compared to graphics cards.
The peak of additional energy use attracted the energy company's concerns because they were tapping in from the power grid in town. According to specialists, loss of 5 to 7 million UAH (USD 200,000 to $ 250,000) might be caused monthly from such actions.
The crypto-monetary mining of various devices, including PS4, can be done, but it is surely not the most efficient. You may make money from mining cryptocurrency if you have 3800 PS4 and not pay the energy bill...
Senior Member
Posts: 13335
Joined: 2014-07-21
I don't know, I still guess the SBU / SBI acting on electricity theft wasn't a daily business. Not sure if somebody from Ukraine's a fellow guru, but in my country, electricity theft and even claiming and using an abondoned factory usually is not checked on by the anti terrorist or special security forces in the first place. Might be different with Ukraine's latest history, but that's just the anecdotal puzzle part I chose to find amusing about the news.
Senior Member
Posts: 11339
Joined: 2011-10-22
Where does one go and then say... ohh yes kind sir I wish to purchase THREE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED PlayStation 4 consoles... ohh yes, in cash.. yes yes..
Senior Member
Posts: 6684
Joined: 2012-11-10
Well, at least they were using PS4s and not something currently in-demand.
Sure you can. More specifically, the utility company can track it down. Assuming people have to pay an electric bill in Ukraine, all buildings have a meter for power usage. Shouldn't be that hard for them to look at their month-by-month data and find something using an absurd amount of power despite profits not going up.
Senior Member
Posts: 123
Joined: 2016-11-08
They traced the leak to a huge warehouse, since it's probably not a "short circuit" they informed the police. It was probably tagged as a gang related activity, sent in the special police.
They were making over $2000 a day on free electric from the PS4s alone.
Probably a special unit of police and police were involved in the raid. Hard to go unnoticed all that electric.
Senior Member
Posts: 963
Joined: 2010-01-04
Looks like a nice clean setup. Someone takes pride in their work