Hetzner (opens in new tab), a popular German web hosting (opens in new tab) and dedicated server provider (opens in new tab) has updated its terms of use to ban cryptomining (opens in new tab) on its servers, after it found several users using its cloud storage (opens in new tab) offering to mine Chia.
Chia is based on a new consensus algorithm known as proof of space and time, and is a departure from the usual proof of work used by traditional cryptocurrencies (opens in new tab).
In essence, unlike traditional cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (opens in new tab) and Ethereum (opens in new tab), Chia, created by BitTorrent (opens in new tab) protocol developer Bram Cohen, demands more storage (opens in new tab) for its mining, rather than processing prowess.
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Hetzner’s high-capacity storage systems known as Storage Boxes (opens in new tab) offered a perfect platform for anyone wishing to mine Chia.
However, fearing that the Chia mining operations would cut the lifespan of its drives and increase its maintenance costs, Hetzner decided to outlaw the use of its resources for mining cryptocurrencies.
Just a FUD?
In a tweet translated from German into English by BleepingComputer, the company explains that it noticed a sudden increase in the number of orders for its large hard drive servers.
“In order for us to operate a high-performing and reliable network for our customers, the operation of applications for mining crypto currencies is prohibited,” reads the updated terms for the Storage Box service.
While Chia’s supposed disk destroying abilities (opens in new tab) have forced several disk manufacturers to ban the use of their disks to mine Chia, the cryptocurrency’s creator Bram Cohen took to Twitter to allay the fears (opens in new tab).
“For some odd reason the 'Chia burns out hard drives!' is getting repeated as the fashionable fud. This is odd, because for the most part it's just plain wrong,” Cohen wrote on Twitter.
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Via BleepingComputer (opens in new tab)
