NOT SAYING THIS IS HAPPENING....

But is there any type of proof that the CPU and GPU cycles we donate are not used for BitCoin mining or something else besides the project?

Is there any on the Boinc side that police the projects?

Just a thought?

I have had the same thought.

Some projects are open source which allows verification, but some
open source projects (gpugrid for one) do not appear to have all sources available.

OTOH, I have built SETI, Milkyway and BOINC from sources but would not have a clue as to where to look for hidden mining code as the programs are large and complicated. I suspect the project maintainers likely have the same problem. Many of the maintainers are unpaid volunteers (grad students)

One project, now closed, was to crack an encryption code. Don't remember exactly but when I looked into it there was a monetary reward. I asked who would get the reward but never not an answer.

Lot of users here are actually mining for "credits" It would be hypocritical for them to complaint that their "mining" was being mined.

I am more concerned about mining software that is "bundled" with a product the user wants. This has actually been done with BOINC.
https://steemit.com/gridcoin/@guk/charity-engine-controversy

The key is the user has agreed to do the mining by clicking on the download or checking the "are your sure" box, if any.

I have had the same thought.

Some projects are open source which allows verification, but some
open source projects (gpugrid for one) do not appear to have all sources available.

OTOH, I have built SETI, Milkyway and BOINC from sources but would not have a clue as to where to look for hidden mining code as the programs are large and complicated. I suspect the project maintainers likely have the same problem. Many of the maintainers are unpaid volunteers (grad students)

One project, now closed, was to crack an encryption code. Don't remember exactly but when I looked into it there was a monetary reward. I asked who would get the reward but never not an answer.

The Admin and their staff did, but they put it out up front that they were being paid to crack.

Another Admin and their staff got paid for fractal stuff.
At least one existing Project gets paid for the research being done into new ways of doing things.
There was one Project that was based on BitCoin Mining but it has also closed now, it took a percentage of the money earned to keep itself going, the rest it donated to various things.
Monetizing our crunching has always been the goal of most privately run Projects as they are very expensive to setup, run and maintain.
Publicly funded Projects have to keep working on keeping the money flowing as well, very few Projects have the cash to just run forever with no new influx of cash.

[snip]

One project, now closed, was to crack an encryption code. Don't remember exactly but when I looked into it there was a monetary reward. I asked who would get the reward but never not an answer.

[snip]

Did that project happen to be Enigma@Home?

http://www.enigmaathome.net/

They may still be trying to crack the encryption of three messages sent to the German navy during World War II.