The larger percentage of cryptocurrency enthusiasts that turn to mining pools, all the more dangerous this kind of mining is likely to become. The reason is simple: The potential rewards grow in correspondence with the number of participants and their hash power, and so too does the incentive to profit from it in less-than-legal or acceptable ways for some parties.
In cryptocurrency mining — just like with real-life gold mining — the days of lone-wolf gold diggers drifting from place to place with their trusty tools in tow, following the trail of the elusive gold seams are long gone. While it is true that some of us can still afford to mine solo, it’s not a viable option for most people, as they do not have enough hashing power on their own to mine blocks consistently.