Don't run your own programs on other people's computers, servers or cameras, and don't use company machines to mine cryptocurrency

Cost

Free, and it takes no time.

What you get

Illegally controlling a computer information system, when the circumstances are serious, carries up to 3 years, with a fine on top or a fine alone, and 3 to 7 years in especially serious cases. Illegally controlling 20 or more machines counts as "serious circumstances." When it does not amount to a crime, the police confiscate the illegal gains, impose detention of up to 5 days, and may fine 50,000 to 500,000 CNY. In more serious cases, the detention is 5 to 15 days and the fine may be 100,000 to 1,000,000 CNY. A person who has received a public security penalty is barred for 5 years, and one who has received a criminal penalty for life, from key posts in network security management and network operations. Official cases: Li bought the IPs of network cameras and used software to control 105 of them to spy on people's private lives. He got 3 years, suspended for 5 years, and a fine of 20,000 CNY. Wu and others planted a Trojan in phone motherboards, controlled more than 3,300,000 (330余万) phones and had them send back verification codes. Sentences ranged from 2 years to 4 years 6 months (nationwide)

Notes

No case on mining with a company's servers was found among those published by the Supreme People's Procuratorate or the Supreme People's Court. This item is written from the provision on "controlling other people's systems without permission." The ban on "key posts for life" is a consequence the Cybersecurity Law (网络安全法) adds on top of fines and prison sentences, and for a tech worker it weighs more than a fine.

Evidence grade

A : Specific numbers from meta-analyses, large cohorts or randomized trials; for law and policy, the statute or official text.

Sources

1. 全国人大 (2020). 刑法（根据刑法修正案（十一）修正，第二百八十五条第二款）. https://jtgl.beijing.gov.cn/jgj/jgxx/flfg/fl/11033925/index.html
2. 最高人民法院、最高人民检察院 (2011). 关于办理危害计算机信息系统安全刑事案件应用法律若干问题的解释（第一条）. https://ga.sz.gov.cn/ZWGK/ZCFG/ZCJD/content/post_1304363.html
3. 全国人大常委会 (2025). 网络安全法（2025 年修正，2026 年 1 月 1 日施行，第二十九、六十六条；2016 年文本为第二十七、六十三条，终身禁业为修正后的第六十六条第三款）. https://www.cac.gov.cn/2025-12/29/c_1768735112911946.htm
4. 最高人民检察院 (2022). 山东滨州开发区：办理一起非法控制计算机信息系统案. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/dfjcdt/202205/t20220518_557113.shtml
5. 最高人民检察院 (2021). 充分发挥检察职能 推进网络空间治理典型案例（案例六）. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/xwfbh/wsfbh/202101/t20210125_507452.shtml

Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 11, tip 8. This section describes legal rules, mostly mainland China’s. It is general information, not legal advice; for your own case, talk to a lawyer. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer