Marine Corps Bans Service Members From Mining Bitcoin on Military Devices

US Marines can no longer mine crypto with government-issued gear, which was apparently a problem.

Crypto Ban

According to a Tuesday U.S. Marine Corps memo, service members are now banned from mining cryptocurrency on any government-issued phones or devices.

It's an unusual announcement, and like mattress warning labels or "do not shake the vending machine" signs, probably something that no one thought to ban until it actually became a problem. But, as CoinDesk reports, the military seems worried that crypto mining apps — along with dating and gambling — could compromise its cybersecurity.

Classified User Data

The crypto ban isn't the first time that the military had to step in and restrict what soldiers could do with their phones.

In 2018, the Pentagon had to tell soldiers to stop sharing their location with fitness tracker apps after they inadvertently revealed both the locations and layouts of military bases around the world — as well as off-limits areas like Area 51.

Personal Calls

Presumably, marines are still allowed to mine crypto on their own time and using their own hardware. The memo didn't list any specific issues with mining beyond general security concerns regarding the mining apps themselves.

And if there are any marines out there mining Bitcoin that prompted the ban, they'd better hurry up: The memo clarifies that any prohibited apps will be automatically deleted.

READ MORE: Marine Corps Bans Crypto Mining Apps From Government-Issued Mobile Devices [CoinDesk]

More on military restrictions: The Pentagon Tells Soldiers To Stop Sharing Their Locations With Apps