Are ethash files on my system created by Charity Engine?

L
Laurens ID: 636475 Posts: 8
05 Aug 2015 12:56 AM

I discovered an Ethash folder in my AppData that contained two hash files over a gig in size, created on the first of August. I found that these are Etherium files and may be used in cryptocurrency mining. Did Charity Engine create these? I can't tell where they might have come from otherwise, and that's worrying.

This is on Windows 7 with BOINC version 7.4.42

Matt ID: 44 Posts: 299
05 Aug 2015 01:20 PM

Hi Laurens.  Yes, we’re running Ethereum on a small number of devices (currently <1%, though this might change).  

Ethereum is based on blockchain and other cryptocurrency technologies, but it’s not primarily a currency; it’s a programmable distributed ledger.  The technology makes possible new types of digital contracts ("smart contracts") and other forms of disintermediated business.  It requires gobs of computing power, so we thought to be involved from the start, at least with some of our excess capacity.

L
Laurens ID: 636475 Posts: 8
05 Aug 2015 02:01 PM

Okay, that's good to know, but is there any reason why files relating to this appeared in my AppData folder, rather than the BOINC Data folder?