Google has apparently banned all mining apps on its play store. But with minor tweaks which allows remote managing of mining hardware.
The company has made these changes in its Google developer’s Policy as published on Android Police. Also, it is to be noted that all extensions related to cryptocurrency mining are already banned by Google and removed from Chrome Web Store.
As per new policy, the company specifically spells out the ban and reads as below,
“We don’t allow apps that mine cryptocurrency on devices [..] We permit apps that remotely manage the mining of cryptocurrency.”
Although the company did provide two months of time to remove for extensions which were already listed on Chrome Web store, such is not the case with apps on play store. This action was taken with an intention to protect the users from unknowingly mining the cryptocurrencies, for a third party software.
Interestingly Apple does allow few crypto apps on its App store. But those apps are to be from approved exchange house or the one’s used for registered ICO’s and the processing is performed off device such as cloud mining
We have heard of UNICEF using the processing power of its web users to mine the cryptocurrency. But with user’s consent to do so. Charity donations like these also make use of same scripts which are being used in crypto-jacking. Not only that famed torrent site Pirate Bay also used its visitors system for mining cryptocurrency.
All these instances gives clear impression on how crypto-jacking can be used, either legally or illegally to mine cryptocurrencies. The jury is still out as to how far measures like these will help stopping them.
