µTorrent Update Installs Bitcoin Mining Software ‘EpicScale’ Without Consent, Users Claim

Users claim the latest µTorrent update installs the Bitcoin mining software known as EpicScale, alongside it, and according to Trusted Reviews, the software installs silently – without users’ permission.

Programs that install silently without a user’s consent are a big “no-no.” They generally do so with the express purpose of operating in a malicious way — think rootkit, drive-by-download, or browser hijacker as examples.

µTorrent’s parent, BitTorrent, denies the allegations, as does EpicScale, the crypto currency mining software in question, according to the Verge.

Despite hundreds of individual user complaints made since the update was released, all alleging they did not authorize the EpicScale installation, both companies released similar statements saying EpicScale was purely “opt-in.”

Hundreds of µTorrent users flocked to the help forums Thursday complaining about the silent EpicScale installation they found bundled with the µTorrent update to version 3.4.2 build 38913.

According to TrustedReview, users only noticed EpicScale was installed after they realized their computers were performing badly since the update. They then traced those issues to EpicScale.

According to µTorrent forum user “Groundrunner,” the intrusion was noticed immediately.

“It’s easily noticeable by the increased CPU load when the computer is idle … The file date/time on the EpicScale files matches the time of the uTorrent update, which confirms uTorrent as the source.”

Since the program did not seek permission before installing itself with the µTorrent update, some users are saying EpicScale is stealing CPU cycles from the host computer to make BitTorrent money.

BitTorrent confirmed that it offers EpicScale bundled with updates, just as it offers other software programs via “partner offers in our install path,” according to the Verge.

However, BitTorrent also flat out denied that the silent installations are happening and instead appears to blame µTorrent users for the issue. BitTorrrent is adamant that the users must have agreed to the installations or the program would not have installed, again saying the EpicScale software is “opt-in only.”

According to BitTorrent via the Verge, a representative wrote.

“‘We have reviewed the issue closely and can confirm there is no silent install happening…. Most likely these users accepted the offer during install,’ a representative wrote.”

EpicScale is a cryptocurrency mining program and works by using the host computer’s CPU cycles to do its mining work “in the background.” This means it is supposed to run when the computer is not in use. In this case, the cryptocurrency it mines is Litecoin, which is a bitcoin variant.

After µTorrent users raised the silent installation issue, EpicScale management posted a statement that contained instructions on how to uninstall the software while simultaneously denying the silent installation issue altogether.

“We’ve posted uninstall instructions on our site here and have confirmed with BitTorrent that our offer is always offered on a 100 percent opt-in basis.”

Hundreds of angry µTorrent users flocked to FreeFixer to complain, since EpicScale is available there for download as well.

A user named “Alexander” who claimed to represent EpicScale, responded to many of those complaints. In some cases, Alexander offered FreeFixer users a $20 Amazon gift card in exchange for emailing him to further discuss the issues.

Most users who complained did so about two things — the silent install and EpicScale’s massive CPU usage. Alexander responded to say that EpicScale does use the CPU at a low level constantly, and he added that if the computer user needs to use more resources, EpicScale stops running, or the user can disable it.

µTorrent’s users who saw EpicScale install alongside the µTorrent update refute this answer, and say instead that EpicScale uses 100 percent of their computer’s CPU cycles 100 percent of the time.

According to the Verge, botnet owners tend to use bitcoin mining programs such as EpicScale, which is why many such programs have bad reputation. Botnet owners “make a profit off of compromised machines,” and leave the computer owners with the electricity cost of running the CPU in excess.

EpicScale claims its software uses a computer’s “unused processing power to change the world” and that it gives 100 percent of its profits to charity.

Although they list only partial information about how much and to whom the company has donated, according to Trusted Reviews, EpicScale is “working on ways to show their charitable contributions more clearly on its website and within the software.”

EpicScale also promises to continue donating to “high impact charities.”

Although BitTorrent denies it is happening, staff in the help thread promised to continue investigating the claims of the µTorrent update forcing a silent install of EpicScale.

[Screenshot of µTorrent in use]