Dropbox is not a crypto company as such. It is a platform that offers its users storage services and online sharing of data in real time. An offer that seems diverted from its initial objective.
Dropbox’s unlimited storage service, used for crypto mining
Dropbox, the online storage platform, has decided to end its unlimited storage service. The news follows certain observations around this offer. Users divert the latter from its initial function to carry out crypto mining operations.
This activity is not the only unauthorized practice carried out by users through Dropbox. In a blog post, the company reported growth in subscriptions to its unlimited storage.
These would not be done for crypto mining purposes only, but also for the resale of storage space. Another use not permitted by Dropbox is the pooling of storage space for personal use.
The downside with the development of these practices is that they are all resource intensive. This is particularly the case for crypto mining activities which are known to be energy-intensive.
Additionally, Dropbox recognizes another big limitation of its unlimited storage service. This option led, the firm says, to uneven usage patterns. Result, lately, some users have consumed “thousands of times more storage space than true business customers.”
Consequently, Dropbox now only offers a limited storage offer. Thus, new users will now benefit from a storage space of fifteen terabytes. Which according to the company is more than enough to host around 100 million documents.
The decision of Dropbox, legitimate?
It is certain that for many users, this decision can be disappointing. But for the company, it is unsustainable, difficult and unacceptable that its services are diverted from their objectives.
Moreover, this operational choice seems to be aligned with competitive trends with regard to storage services. Dropbox notes that in recent months Microsoft and Google have also dropped their unlimited storage plans.
A choice which beyond the economic stakes would be explained from a security point of view. Hackers have been known to exploit cryptojacking malware in the past. This, by integrating them into internet-connected devices or cloud storage accounts.
This background is confirmed by Google. In 2021, the internet giant revealed that hackers could compromise a user account. This, by deploying crypto mining software in just 22 seconds.
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