[VWWHFSfQ]

> it's not like they maliciously inserted this thing to mine crypto for Norton itself. Whatever your computer mines is yours

It says you're joined to a mining pool. Is this a Norton 360-only mining pool? If so, I'm guessing they have their own hardware participating in the pool as well. And if that's the case, you're helping them mine for blocks just as much as you're helping yourself. But they don't say that anywhere so who knows.

edit: and it also appears that they're taking 15% of whatever you mine.

So they've apparently:

* Set up a Norton-only pool

* Joined all their customers computers to it

* Collect 360 subscription fees to participate

* Collect 15% of everything their customers mine

* Participate in the pool themselves, further benefiting from their customers mining activity

And what happens to the unclaimed/unused wallets that they're holding for their oblivious customers in "the cloud"? If I cared enough about this to read the fine print I bet I'll find that they're reserving the right to empty those after a certain period of inactivity.

[duskwuff]

> And what happens to the unclaimed/unused wallets that they're holding for their oblivious customers in "the cloud"?

For that matter: what happens when Norton gets hacked and loses the cryptocurrency they've been holding for their users?

[random314]

And who pays the customers electricity bill? They are simply stealing your electricity.

[yosito]

Not just your electricity, but also your processor time, which you likely intended to use for something else.

[TingPing]

The ethereum would pay for it, if the user knew how to actually cash out.

[random314]

Depending on your power billing rates, mining ethereum might not be profitable at all for the user.

[perennate]

> oblivious customers

Users must explicitly agree to a Norton Crypto License and Services Agreement and activate mining before the software starts mining Ethereum. It is unlikely there would be any oblivious customers.

See https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v...

[cogman10]

Bundling software like this is a malware move. I don't care if they give you the option to not install it, it's no better than the installers that add malware toolbars to your browser if you don't catch the 8th level of dropdowns you need to navigate to not install it.

When I install a pdf reader, I expect a pdf reader and nothing else. When I install anti virus software, that's the only thing I want.

[Kinrany]

How explicit is their agreement compared to the usual dark pattern of "guess which one of these five checkboxes is optional"?

[Nathanael_M]

This is key. I'm going to install Norton 360 on my other PC tonight and see what the process is. My concern is that they're counting on all of the senior citizens (I'm assuming that's their near exclusive user base at this point) who have been using Norton for years will accidentally install this thinking they're simply updating the program. The installation process will be very telling.