Do not run your programs on other people's computers, servers or cameras without permission, or mine cryptocurrency on company machines
In China, unauthorized control of 20 computers, servers or cameras meets a serious-offense threshold carrying up to 3 years, or 3–7 years when particularly serious. Conduct below the criminal threshold can still bring up to 5 days' detention and RMB 50,000–500,000 in fines. Criminal punishment also brings a lifetime bar from key cybersecurity-management and network-operation roles.
What it takes
No money or time.
What you may gain
Serious illegal control of computer systems carries up to 3 years and/or a fine; particularly serious cases carry 3–7 years. Controlling at least 20 systems meets a serious-case threshold. Below the criminal threshold, police confiscate proceeds and may impose up to 5 days' detention plus RMB 50,000–500,000; more serious administrative cases carry 5–15 days and an optional RMB 100,000–1 million fine. Administrative public-security punishment bars key cybersecurity-management and network-operation positions for 5 years; criminal punishment bars them for life. Li bought camera IP addresses and controlled 105 cameras to spy on people, receiving 3 years suspended for 5 years and RMB 20,000. Wu and others embedded malware in phone motherboards and controlled more than 3.3 million phones to retrieve verification codes, receiving 2 years to 4 years 6 months. Chinese rules apply.
Context & considerations
No company-server cryptocurrency-mining case published by the Supreme Court or Procuratorate was found. That recommendation follows the prohibition on unauthorized control of another person's systems. The lifetime occupational bar is an additional consequence beyond fines and imprisonment and may matter more than a fine to a technical worker.
Research & references
National People's Congress of China (2020). Criminal Law incorporating Amendment XI, Article 285(2). https://jtgl.beijing.gov.cn/jgj/jgxx/flfg/fl/11033925/index.html; Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate (2011). Computer Information System Security Criminal Interpretation, Article 1. https://ga.sz.gov.cn/ZWGK/ZCFG/ZCJD/content/post_1304363.html; NPC Standing Committee (2025). Cybersecurity Law, 2025 revision effective January 1, 2026, Articles 29 and 66; formerly Articles 27 and 63, with the lifetime bar in revised Article 66(3). https://www.cac.gov.cn/2025-12/29/c_1768735112911946.htm; Supreme People's Procuratorate (2022). Shandong Binzhou Development Zone: Illegal Control of Computer Information Systems. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/dfjcdt/202205/t20220518_557113.shtml; Supreme People's Procuratorate (2021). Typical Cyberspace Governance Cases, case 6. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/xwfbh/wsfbh/202101/t20210125_507452.shtml