Sakarya University servers ‘used for cryptomining’

SAKARYA

Computer servers of Sakarya University, a public research university located in the city of Adapazarı, the capital of the western province of Sakarya, have allegedly been used to mine cryptocurrency, daily Habertürk reported on May 7.

The incident reportedly came to light when the university’s students complained to the management that whenever they checked their e-mails or grades online the computer systems had been working very slowly. This situation had continued for three months, with analysis of the case leading experts to determine that the university’s servers were being used for cryptocurrency mining.

University officials have so far not released a statement regarding the incident but they are reportedly looking into the allegations, with an investigation soon to be launched.

Meanwhile, the technical problems that the students were facing were previously said to be a cyberattack on the university’s system. Many students enrolled in the university’s distance education program have even had to take their exams again, with problems reported in the exam-taking process.

Cryptocurrency mining, or cryptomining, is a process in which transactions for various forms of cryptocurrency are verified and added to the blockchain digital ledger. Unlike regular currency, which exists in tangible form or is backed by something tangible like gold, cryptocurrency is purely digital money and exists solely online.

Additionally, cryptocurrency is not backed or managed by an authorized third party like a bank or government. In other words, cryptocurrency exists as a secure, decentralized form of currency, with cryptocurrency transactions changed and verified by a network of computers that aren’t affiliated with any one single entity.