<p>If using <code>cgminer</code> or <code>bfgminer</code> you can write the username and password into a configuration file, but there's really no need. Unless the password is used prolifically elsewhere, the biggest risk is that somebody mines with your worker name and contributes some money to you. </p>

<p>If you're worried about people seeing your username, then you shouldn't be mining on computers you don't own. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-09T00:01:31.710Z
Aren't you forgetting about the risk of an attacker using my password to login to my pool account and changing the pay-to address to their own?
RentFree
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-09T00:04:25.753Z
So don't use the same worker password as your pool password. No pool does that by default, and most will encourage you to use a very weak password like "x". In reality the password is only there for legacy reasons anyway.
Anonymous
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-09T00:06:43.550Z
I thought they had to be the same
RentFree
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-09T00:09:11.387Z
Nope, if you're using a pool with worker passwords then they can be anything, and independantly set from your account password. If you're using a pool like http://eligius.st or http://hhtt.1209k.com then you don't need to be using an account at all.
Anonymous
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-09T00:13:38.020Z
Cool!  It looks like my pool ignores the password.  I changed the password on the command line and it still works.
RentFree
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-08T23:58:55.913Z
2013-12-08T23:58:55.913Z
Anonymous
<p>As the username and password you are using for your miner in the pool should not be the same as you are using anywhere else, this really should not be an issue as the only thing someone could really do with those details are mine for you (which is a good thing). The miner's password shouldn't be the same as your global login to that pool, and if they have to be then I would suggest finding a different pool. </p>

<p>However, in answer to the question, you should be able to use the <code>hidepid</code> mount option for procfs. More information available <a href="http://www.iezzi.ch/archives/784" rel="nofollow">here</a>. It's not perfect, as it's an all-or-nothing approach to hiding processes (similar to how windows handles Task Manager - when hiding is taking place another user can only see their own processes, not other users' or system processes unless they elevate, although with <code>hidepid</code> even elevation will not allow viewing them) rather than just hiding a single one.</p>

<p>The only other reliable method I can think of at the moment would be creating a kernel patch, as <code>ps</code> and <code>top</code> both take input directly from there.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-09T00:29:02.673Z
2013-12-09T00:29:02.673Z
ReeKorl
<p>When doing pool mining under Linux, you need to specify a user and password for the pool in the command.  Any other Linux user on that machine can see your user and password in the <code>ps</code> command.  Is there any way to hide them?</p>

<mining-pools>
hide password in mining ps command
RentFree
# hide password in mining ps command

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-08)

When doing pool mining under Linux, you need to specify a user and password for the pool in the command. Any other Linux user on that machine can see your user and password in the `ps` command. Is there any way to hide them?

**Tags:** mining-pools


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-12-08. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

If using `cgminer` or `bfgminer` you can write the username and password into a configuration file, but there's really no need. Unless the password is used prolifically elsewhere, the biggest risk is that somebody mines with your worker name and contributes some money to you.

If you're worried about people seeing your username, then you shouldn't be mining on computers you don't own.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Aren't you forgetting about the risk of an attacker using my password to login to my pool account and changing the pay-to address to their own?  
> **username_1**: So don't use the same worker password as your pool password. No pool does that by default, and most will encourage you to use a very weak password like "x". In reality the password is only there for legacy reasons anyway.  
> **username_0**: I thought they had to be the same  
> **username_1**: Nope, if you're using a pool with worker passwords then they can be anything, and independantly set from your account password. If you're using a pool like http://eligius.st or http://hhtt.1209k.com then you don't need to be using an account at all.  
> **username_0**: Cool!  It looks like my pool ignores the password.  I changed the password on the command line and it still works.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2013-12-09. Score: 0

As the username and password you are using for your miner in the pool should not be the same as you are using anywhere else, this really should not be an issue as the only thing someone could really do with those details are mine for you (which is a good thing). The miner's password shouldn't be the same as your global login to that pool, and if they have to be then I would suggest finding a different pool.

However, in answer to the question, you should be able to use the `hidepid` mount option for procfs. More information available [here](http://www.iezzi.ch/archives/784). It's not perfect, as it's an all-or-nothing approach to hiding processes (similar to how windows handles Task Manager - when hiding is taking place another user can only see their own processes, not other users' or system processes unless they elevate, although with `hidepid` even elevation will not allow viewing them) rather than just hiding a single one.

The only other reliable method I can think of at the moment would be creating a kernel patch, as `ps` and `top` both take input directly from there.


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