The tiny Bittorrent client uTorrent is, as we know, one of the more famous torrent downloading and seeding software available. Due to its vast usage, other software also try to make their way into our systems by hitching a ride, installed via a mistaken click on the “next” button.
This content varies from newly released songs, to new software. Similarly, the latest uTorrent update has an unwanted package bundled along with its installer pack. The newest update version 3.4.2 – build 28913 – consumes a whole lot of CPU, which was a point noticed by many users who had debated the reason for this across the many torrent forums. Further, upon further investigation, it was noted that “Epic Scale”, the software that is using the CPU’s power, is a Bitcoin miner.
Bitcoin is a digital currency and an innovative payment network. It uses peer to peer technology to operate with no central authority or banks; managing transactions and the issuing of bitcoins is carried out collectively by the network. Bitcoin has been a part of Bit Torrent’s experiment for many years, as a banner ad in uTorrent.
Using the CPU’s power like this is a serious infiltration. However, BitTorrent replied to the queries by simply saying that they have scanned their installer and uTorrent does not attempt such activity without the users’ knowledge.
Bitcoin uses many encryption systems for regulations and uses of different units and systems. Mining is the process of running SHA256 double round hash verification processes in order to validate transactions and provide the requisite security for the public ledger of the Bitcoin network. The speed at which you mine is measured in hashes per second.
The Bitcoin network compensates miners for their effort by releasing Bitcoin to those who contribute the needed computational power. This comes in the form of both newly issued coin and from the transaction fees included in the transactions you validate when mining. The more computing power you contribute, the greater your share of the reward.
The Epic Scale software appears to be directed towards donating any coins created from your CPU usage to certain unnamed charities, however, rather than benefiting themselves or uTorrent alone.
Anonymous recommends: Protect your PC & mobile devices from hackers and governments & surf and download anonymously
Hi. Anonymous, what bit-torrent client do you recommend?
Transmission.
To those who don’t know the stats or don’t care to do the math: on an Intel i7 950 processor, you could mine Bitcoin for a full year and earn $0.01, while spending about $100.00 on the power your cpu would use. That’s right: for every single dollar these bastards get, they waste 10,000 of yours.
But feel free to feel however you like about it.
In case you didnt know Mr. Smarty pants, you dont mine bitcoing with your cpu…you mine them with the gpu.
Well, Captain Sarcasm, you OBVIOUSLY don’t know that GPU is GRAPHIC PROCESSING UNIT.. and bitminers use CPU and ADDITIONAL GPU resources. So please, educate youself before talking down on others.
As you can see here:
https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Mining_hardware_comparison
Most miners use BOTH CPU and GPU, not one or the other.
Go fuck yourself.
I have to call bullshit on anyone that says this was placed on their system without agreeing to it. I use Utorrent and am very careful about my installs. Always do custom so I can make sure what I install. That being said, I don’t remember an agreement to version 3.4.2 so I checked my system (extensively). NO traces of Epic Scale anywhere. If you have this on your system, you allowed it. Now, how to get rid of it.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/how-remove-utorrent-epicscale-bitcoin-miner-windows-pc-1490965
I will continue to use Utorrent as it’s always been a reliable program and did not “sneak” something in on me.
It’s not epicscale I’m talking about, it’s utorrent itself. Check your network
I was also infected with this miner, and no I did not agree to it. I found it about a week ago as I was running wireshark I noticed that the port that is assigned to utorrent kept getting alot of traffic and that my computer was responding to each request. I then killed the process and closed all ports. I originally thought that the media companies were getting revenge and trying to DDOS me but a friend told me about this miner scandal. And it wasn’t a few request im talking tens of thousands of request a day.