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#Cryptographic technologies
blockchainnewsme · 1 year
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A deep dive into Cryptographic Technologies in Blockchain 
A deep dive into Cryptographic Technologies in Blockchain : Blockchain technology has helped advance secure, transparent, and decentralized recording. It integrates modern crypto technology such as cryptography, smart contracts, and peer-to-peer (P2P) technology to promote digital currency. This article will provide an in-depth explanation of cryptographic technologies and how it is applied in…
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nicolae · 2 months
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The Revolutionary Role of Blockchain Technology in Communication
Sfetcu, Nicolae (2024), The Revolutionary Role of Blockchain Technology in Communication, IT & C, 3:1, xxx,   Abstract Communication is the cornerstone of human interaction, and as technology advances, so does the way we connect with each other. One of the most groundbreaking innovations in recent years is blockchain technology, initially designed to underpin cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.…
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9kmovies-biz · 1 year
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WhatsApp Has a Problem With New Numbers. Here's How to Fix It.
Photo: Eliseu Geisler / Shutterstock.com (Shutterstock) Phone numbers are a finite resource. So when one goes out of a service, there’s a good chance telecom companies will reuse it for a new phone plan. That can be a big problem on WhatsApp. In some cases, if you get your hands on a phone number that was tied to an existing WhatsApp account, you can hijack it and assume that users’ identity,…
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cartierrings · 2 years
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Cryptographic company Voyager Digital submits files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
Cryptographic company Voyager Digital submits files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
Voyager said it has approximately $ 1.3 billion worth of cryptocurrencies on its platform and holds over $ 350 million in cash on behalf of clients of the Metropolitan Commercial Bank of New York. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Cryptographic Brokerage Besieged Digital traveler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, becoming the latest victim of chaos in digital asset markets. Voyager filed…
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Demon-haunted computers are back, baby
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Catch me in Miami! I'll be at Books and Books in Coral Gables on Jan 22 at 8PM.
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As a science fiction writer, I am professionally irritated by a lot of sf movies. Not only do those writers get paid a lot more than I do, they insist on including things like "self-destruct" buttons on the bridges of their starships.
Look, I get it. When the evil empire is closing in on your flagship with its secret transdimensional technology, it's important that you keep those secrets out of the emperor's hand. An irrevocable self-destruct switch there on the bridge gets the job done! (It has to be irrevocable, otherwise the baddies'll just swarm the bridge and toggle it off).
But c'mon. If there's a facility built into your spaceship that causes it to explode no matter what the people on the bridge do, that is also a pretty big security risk! What if the bad guy figures out how to hijack the measure that – by design – the people who depend on the spaceship as a matter of life and death can't detect or override?
I mean, sure, you can try to simplify that self-destruct system to make it easier to audit and assure yourself that it doesn't have any bugs in it, but remember Schneier's Law: anyone can design a security system that works so well that they themselves can't think of a flaw in it. That doesn't mean you've made a security system that works – only that you've made a security system that works on people stupider than you.
I know it's weird to be worried about realism in movies that pretend we will ever find a practical means to visit other star systems and shuttle back and forth between them (which we are very, very unlikely to do):
https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/09/astrobezzle/#send-robots-instead
But this kind of foolishness galls me. It galls me even more when it happens in the real world of technology design, which is why I've spent the past quarter-century being very cross about Digital Rights Management in general, and trusted computing in particular.
It all starts in 2002, when a team from Microsoft visited our offices at EFF to tell us about this new thing they'd dreamed up called "trusted computing":
https://pluralistic.net/2020/12/05/trusting-trust/#thompsons-devil
The big idea was to stick a second computer inside your computer, a very secure little co-processor, that you couldn't access directly, let alone reprogram or interfere with. As far as this "trusted platform module" was concerned, you were the enemy. The "trust" in trusted computing was about other people being able to trust your computer, even if they didn't trust you.
So that little TPM would do all kinds of cute tricks. It could observe and produce a cryptographically signed manifest of the entire boot-chain of your computer, which was meant to be an unforgeable certificate attesting to which kind of computer you were running and what software you were running on it. That meant that programs on other computers could decide whether to talk to your computer based on whether they agreed with your choices about which code to run.
This process, called "remote attestation," is generally billed as a way to identify and block computers that have been compromised by malware, or to identify gamers who are running cheats and refuse to play with them. But inevitably it turns into a way to refuse service to computers that have privacy blockers turned on, or are running stream-ripping software, or whose owners are blocking ads:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/02/self-incrimination/#wei-bai-bai
After all, a system that treats the device's owner as an adversary is a natural ally for the owner's other, human adversaries. The rubric for treating the owner as an adversary focuses on the way that users can be fooled by bad people with bad programs. If your computer gets taken over by malicious software, that malware might intercept queries from your antivirus program and send it false data that lulls it into thinking your computer is fine, even as your private data is being plundered and your system is being used to launch malware attacks on others.
These separate, non-user-accessible, non-updateable secure systems serve a nubs of certainty, a remote fortress that observes and faithfully reports on the interior workings of your computer. This separate system can't be user-modifiable or field-updateable, because then malicious software could impersonate the user and disable the security chip.
It's true that compromised computers are a real and terrifying problem. Your computer is privy to your most intimate secrets and an attacker who can turn it against you can harm you in untold ways. But the widespread redesign of out computers to treat us as their enemies gives rise to a range of completely predictable and – I would argue – even worse harms. Building computers that treat their owners as untrusted parties is a system that works well, but fails badly.
First of all, there are the ways that trusted computing is designed to hurt you. The most reliable way to enshittify something is to supply it over a computer that runs programs you can't alter, and that rats you out to third parties if you run counter-programs that disenshittify the service you're using. That's how we get inkjet printers that refuse to use perfectly good third-party ink and cars that refuse to accept perfectly good engine repairs if they are performed by third-party mechanics:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon
It's how we get cursed devices and appliances, from the juicer that won't squeeze third-party juice to the insulin pump that won't connect to a third-party continuous glucose monitor:
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/01/unauthorized-bread-a-near-future-tale-of-refugees-and-sinister-iot-appliances/
But trusted computing doesn't just create an opaque veil between your computer and the programs you use to inspect and control it. Trusted computing creates a no-go zone where programs can change their behavior based on whether they think they're being observed.
The most prominent example of this is Dieselgate, where auto manufacturers murdered hundreds of people by gimmicking their cars to emit illegal amount of NOX. Key to Dieselgate was a program that sought to determine whether it was being observed by regulators (it checked for the telltale signs of the standard test-suite) and changed its behavior to color within the lines.
Software that is seeking to harm the owner of the device that's running it must be able to detect when it is being run inside a simulation, a test-suite, a virtual machine, or any other hallucinatory virtual world. Just as Descartes couldn't know whether anything was real until he assured himself that he could trust his senses, malware is always questing to discover whether it is running in the real universe, or in a simulation created by a wicked god:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/28/descartes-was-an-optimist/#uh-oh
That's why mobile malware uses clever gambits like periodically checking for readings from your device's accelerometer, on the theory that a virtual mobile phone running on a security researcher's test bench won't have the fidelity to generate plausible jiggles to match the real data that comes from a phone in your pocket:
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/01/google-play-malware-used-phones-motion-sensors-to-conceal-itself/
Sometimes this backfires in absolutely delightful ways. When the Wannacry ransomware was holding the world hostage, the security researcher Marcus Hutchins noticed that its code made reference to a very weird website: iuqerfsodp9ifjaposdfjhgosurijfaewrwergwea.com. Hutchins stood up a website at that address and every Wannacry-infection in the world went instantly dormant:
https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/10/flintstone-delano-roosevelt/#the-matrix
It turns out that Wannacry's authors were using that ferkakte URL the same way that mobile malware authors were using accelerometer readings – to fulfill Descartes' imperative to distinguish the Matrix from reality. The malware authors knew that security researchers often ran malicious code inside sandboxes that answered every network query with fake data in hopes of eliciting responses that could be analyzed for weaknesses. So the Wannacry worm would periodically poll this nonexistent website and, if it got an answer, it would assume that it was being monitored by a security researcher and it would retreat to an encrypted blob, ceasing to operate lest it give intelligence to the enemy. When Hutchins put a webserver up at iuqerfsodp9ifjaposdfjhgosurijfaewrwergwea.com, every Wannacry instance in the world was instantly convinced that it was running on an enemy's simulator and withdrew into sulky hibernation.
The arms race to distinguish simulation from reality is critical and the stakes only get higher by the day. Malware abounds, even as our devices grow more intimately woven through our lives. We put our bodies into computers – cars, buildings – and computers inside our bodies. We absolutely want our computers to be able to faithfully convey what's going on inside them.
But we keep running as hard as we can in the opposite direction, leaning harder into secure computing models built on subsystems in our computers that treat us as the threat. Take UEFI, the ubiquitous security system that observes your computer's boot process, halting it if it sees something it doesn't approve of. On the one hand, this has made installing GNU/Linux and other alternative OSes vastly harder across a wide variety of devices. This means that when a vendor end-of-lifes a gadget, no one can make an alternative OS for it, so off the landfill it goes.
It doesn't help that UEFI – and other trusted computing modules – are covered by Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which makes it a felony to publish information that can bypass or weaken the system. The threat of a five-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine means that UEFI and other trusted computing systems are understudied, leaving them festering with longstanding bugs:
https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/09/free-sample/#que-viva
Here's where it gets really bad. If an attacker can get inside UEFI, they can run malicious software that – by design – no program running on our computers can detect or block. That badware is running in "Ring -1" – a zone of privilege that overrides the operating system itself.
Here's the bad news: UEFI malware has already been detected in the wild:
https://securelist.com/cosmicstrand-uefi-firmware-rootkit/106973/
And here's the worst news: researchers have just identified another exploitable UEFI bug, dubbed Pixiefail:
https://blog.quarkslab.com/pixiefail-nine-vulnerabilities-in-tianocores-edk-ii-ipv6-network-stack.html
Writing in Ars Technica, Dan Goodin breaks down Pixiefail, describing how anyone on the same LAN as a vulnerable computer can infect its firmware:
https://arstechnica.com/security/2024/01/new-uefi-vulnerabilities-send-firmware-devs-across-an-entire-ecosystem-scrambling/
That vulnerability extends to computers in a data-center where the attacker has a cloud computing instance. PXE – the system that Pixiefail attacks – isn't widely used in home or office environments, but it's very common in data-centers.
Again, once a computer is exploited with Pixiefail, software running on that computer can't detect or delete the Pixiefail code. When the compromised computer is queried by the operating system, Pixiefail undetectably lies to the OS. "Hey, OS, does this drive have a file called 'pixiefail?'" "Nope." "Hey, OS, are you running a process called 'pixiefail?'" "Nope."
This is a self-destruct switch that's been compromised by the enemy, and which no one on the bridge can de-activate – by design. It's not the first time this has happened, and it won't be the last.
There are models for helping your computer bust out of the Matrix. Back in 2016, Edward Snowden and bunnie Huang prototyped and published source code and schematics for an "introspection engine":
https://assets.pubpub.org/aacpjrja/AgainstTheLaw-CounteringLawfulAbusesofDigitalSurveillance.pdf
This is a single-board computer that lives in an ultraslim shim that you slide between your iPhone's mainboard and its case, leaving a ribbon cable poking out of the SIM slot. This connects to a case that has its own OLED display. The board has leads that physically contact each of the network interfaces on the phone, conveying any data they transit to the screen so that you can observe the data your phone is sending without having to trust your phone.
(I liked this gadget so much that I included it as a major plot point in my 2020 novel Attack Surface, the third book in the Little Brother series):
https://craphound.com/attacksurface/
We don't have to cede control over our devices in order to secure them. Indeed, we can't ever secure them unless we can control them. Self-destruct switches don't belong on the bridge of your spaceship, and trusted computing modules don't belong in your devices.
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I'm Kickstarting the audiobook for The Bezzle, the sequel to Red Team Blues, narrated by @wilwheaton! You can pre-order the audiobook and ebook, DRM free, as well as the hardcover, signed or unsigned. There's also bundles with Red Team Blues in ebook, audio or paperback.
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If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/17/descartes-delenda-est/#self-destruct-sequence-initiated
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Image: Mike (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/stillwellmike/15676883261/
CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
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mpiricsoftware1 · 2 years
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Utilize Right Social Media Marketing at Right Time
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Enough has already been said about social media, how it reshapes consumer behavior, and how organizations can use it to turn the wheel of fortune in its favor.
Despite the massive amount of information on the web, so many businesses struggle to wrap their head around social media marketing and how it works. Social media is a network of over 3.5 billion users that just love to share, seek, and create information.
As a marketer or business owner, how could you utilize this network in a way that produces great results for your business?
Let's explore this!
The essentials of a effective social media marketing strategy
Social media marketing strategy will look different for every business, but here are the things they will all have in common:
Knowledge of your audience
You need to know about what platforms they use, when they go on them and why, what content they like, who else they’re following, and more.
Brand identity
A strong, unique brand image is an essential part of building a good relationship with customers.
Analytics
Quantifiable insights will inform your strategy, including who you’re reaching, the right content to share, the best times to post, and more.
Content strategy
While there is a level of spontaneity on social, you’ll need a structured content strategy to be able to have a consistent voice and produce quality content regularly.
Inbound approach
Focus on adding value through useful and interesting content and building up those around you. This, in turn, will organically promote your business.
Regular activity
Social media is a real-time platform. If you want to use it to grow your business, you need to post regularly, stay on top of engagements with your business, engage back, keep up with trends, and maintain accurate profiles.
5 Benefits Of Social Media Marketing
The concept of social media marketing has evolved over the years. A few years ago, the sole purpose of using social media channels was to generate website traffic.
Today, it has developed into something more than just a place to broadcast content.
In this article you should  know about social media marketing:
SMM Builds Stronger Relationships With Customers
If you think social media marketing is all about selling and promoting, rethink. Successful brands connect and engage with their social media audiences to build lasting relationships.
Rather than selling your products or services, you can simply ask your social media followers questions about your products or share something that could make life easier for your audience.
It's always a must to serve people first before asking them to invest with you.
SMM Consistently Warms Up A New Audience For Your Business
There’s nothing worse than facing a cold audience or people who haven't interacted with your brand before.
Social media marketing opens up doors to tools and tactics that make it easy to warm up a new audience for your business.
Facebook and other social platforms allow you to use content to connect with the potential audience and warm them up. For example, creating an interesting Facebook video ad can drive people to know more about you.
SMM Generates More Leads & Conversions
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn allows companies to generate leads. You can use a mix of paid and organic tactics to boost conversions.
Video marketing, paid ad campaigns, giveaways, and email opt-ins are some of the leading strategies to get prospects into your sales funnel.
Since everything happens online, SMM is a measurable, quicker, and easier way to build a database of prospects. With increased visibility, your business finds plenty of opportunities for conversion.
Compelling content can lead your social media followers to your company’s website and turn them into loyal customers.
SMM Gives You A Leg Up On Competitors
There’s a lot to learn from your competitors’ social media presence, especially if you have just started exploring social media and lack good marketing ideas.
Progressive companies always monitor their competition to see what’s working for them and whatnot. Tracking what your competitors are up to should be a key part of your social media marketing strategy.
You can start experimenting with things that are working for your competitors.
SMM Is Cost-Effective
Social media marketing is probably the most cost-efficient and diverse way of promoting a business.
It doesn’t cost anything to create a profile on most social networking sites. In case you want to run a paid campaign to boost your content, the cost is relatively low as compared to other advertising platforms.
One of the benefits of social media marketing is that it allows you to track your performance and fine-tune your strategy using real-time data.
Digital Marketing Companies like Mpiric Software are excellent for getting practical exposure in digital marketing at affordable prices.
There’s no better growth strategy for your business than social media marketing that is incorporated with a killer influencer marketing strategy.
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cyberpunkonline · 2 months
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What is a Cypherpunk?
The term "cypherpunk" refers to a movement and a community of activists advocating for the widespread use of strong cryptography and privacy-enhancing technologies as a route to social and political change. Emerging in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the cypherpunk movement is a confluence of libertarian political philosophy, hacker ethos, and cryptographic science.
The Core Traits of Cypherpunks
1. Advocacy for Privacy and Anonymity: Cypherpunks champion the right to privacy, emphasizing that individuals should have control over their personal information and digital footprints. This advocacy is often in direct opposition to government surveillance and corporate data collection practices.
2. Use of Cryptography: The cornerstone of the cypherpunk movement is the use of strong cryptography to secure communications and transactions. Cypherpunks believe that through cryptographic techniques, individuals can protect their privacy in the digital world.
3. Open Source and Decentralization: A significant trait among cypherpunks is the belief in open-source software and decentralized systems. This ethos promotes transparency, security, and resistance to censorship and control by central authorities.
Who are the Cypherpunks?
The cypherpunk community consists of programmers, activists, academics, and technologists. Notable figures include Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks; Jacob Appelbaum, a former spokesperson for the Tor Project; and Hal Finney, a pioneer in digital cash systems. The manifesto "A Cypherpunk's Manifesto" by Eric Hughes (1993) [https://www.activism.net/cypherpunk/manifesto.html] eloquently encapsulates the philosophy and ideals of this movement.
The Cypherpunk Movement
Cypherpunks are not a formal organization but rather a loosely associated group sharing common interests in cryptography and privacy. The movement's origins can be traced to the “Cypherpunks” mailing list, started in 1992 by Eric Hughes, Timothy C. May, and John Gilmore. This list served as a platform for discussing privacy, cryptography, and related political issues.
Relation to Cyberpunk Principles
While cypherpunks share some overlap with the cyberpunk genre of science fiction, they are distinct in their real-world activism. Cyberpunk literature, like William Gibson's "Neuromancer" (1984) [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6088006-neuromancer], often presents a dystopian future where technology is pervasive and oppressive. In contrast, cypherpunks aim to use technology, specifically cryptography, as a tool for empowerment and resistance against such dystopian futures.
Notable Contributions and Technologies
The cypherpunk movement has been instrumental in the development of technologies that emphasize privacy and security:
Tor (The Onion Router): A free and open-source software for enabling anonymous communication [https://www.torproject.org/].
Pretty Good Privacy (PGP): A data encryption and decryption program that provides cryptographic privacy and authentication [https://www.openpgp.org/].
Bitcoin: The creation of Bitcoin by an individual or group under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto was heavily influenced by the ideas of the cypherpunk movement. It embodies principles of decentralization and financial privacy [https://bitcoin.org/en/].
Wikileaks: Founded by Julian Assange, WikiLeaks is a multinational media organization that publishes news leaks and classified media provided by anonymous sources [https://wikileaks.org/].
Conclusion
The cypherpunk movement is a critical lens through which to view the ongoing dialogue about privacy, security, and freedom in the digital age. While not an organized group, the collective impact of cypherpunks on modern cryptography, internet privacy, and digital rights is profound. As digital technology continues to permeate every facet of our lives, the principles and contributions of the cypherpunk community remain more relevant than ever. - REV1.
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shwetayadav05120 · 8 months
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How Blockchain is transforming the finance industry
Blockchain technology has recently emerged as a game-changer in many different industries, with finance being one of the most affected sectors. Due to the decentralized and transparent nature of blockchain, traditional financial services may transform, improving accessibility, efficiency, and security. Through this blog, we will explore how the financial sector is changing as a result of blockchain technology. Let's get going!
What is blockchain technology? Let's quickly review.
Blockchain technology is a sophisticated database technique that enables the transparent sharing of information within a business network. Data is stored in blocks that are connected in a chain in a blockchain database. Blockchain is a technique for preserving records that makes it hard to fake or hack the system or the data stored on it, making it safe and unchangeable. It is a particular kind of distributed ledger technology (DLT), a digital system for simultaneously recording transactions and associated data in numerous locations.
Now let’s see how blockchain technology is impacting the finance industry.
Enhanced Security
Blockchain offers a very safe and impenetrable means to transfer and store financial data. It establishes a decentralized, unchangeable ledger using cryptographic methods, where each transaction is recorded across a network of computers. By doing so, the necessity for middlemen is removed, and the likelihood of fraud, identity theft, and data manipulation is decreased.
Improved Transparency
With blockchain, everyone involved in a transaction can access the same copy of the ledger. This openness lessens the need for third-party verification and promotes confidence between the parties. Additionally, it gives auditors and regulators access to real-time information on financial activities, which improves compliance and accountability.
Faster and Cheaper Transactions
Traditional financial transactions sometimes include several middlemen, which causes delays and expenses. Blockchain makes direct peer-to-peer transactions possible, doing away with the need for middlemen. Particularly for cross-border transactions, which can take days or even weeks with conventional systems, this greatly lowers transaction costs and accelerates settlement times.
Smart Contracts
Blockchain systems commonly enable smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts with predefined rules and conditions. These contracts take effect right soon as the requirements are satisfied, eliminating the need for middlemen and reducing the likelihood of errors or conflicts. Smart contracts may simplify several financial processes, including trade finance, insurance claims, and supply chain financing.
Financial Inclusion
Blockchain has the potential to increase financial inclusion by giving unbanked and underbanked people access to financial services. Through blockchain-based digital identities, anyone can access financial services and demonstrate their creditworthiness without relying on traditional institutions. Remittance services supported by blockchain also offer affordable and efficient cross-border transactions, benefiting people in developing countries. 
Tokenization and Asset Management
Tokenizing tangible assets like stocks, commodities, and real estate is made possible by blockchain technology. These digital tokens, which represent ownership rights, can be exchanged in a secure setting. Tokenization creates possibilities for fractional ownership, effective asset management, and liquid markets. New financial instruments like security tokens and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols can also be developed thanks to it.
By enhancing existing financial services with efficiency, security, and transparency, blockchain technology has the potential to completely transform the financial sector. Its uses span from cross-border payments to smart contracts and supply chain financing, as we have already explored in this blog. Despite major obstacles, the use of blockchain in financial services seems to have a bright future. Adopting this ground-breaking technology could open up new doors for financial inclusion and fundamentally transform how we conduct business and handle our finances in the digital era.
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rhe-toric · 11 months
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The Disruptive Potential of Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, and DLT
Cryptocurrency, blockchain, and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) have been disrupting industries and challenging traditional business models since their inception. These technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way we do business, interact with each other, and even govern ourselves. In this blog post, we will explore the disruptive potential of cryptocurrency, blockchain, and DLT.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, is a decentralized digital currency that uses cryptography to secure transactions and control the creation of new units. Cryptocurrency has the potential to disrupt traditional financial systems by providing a more secure and transparent way to transfer value. Cryptocurrency eliminates the need for intermediaries, such as banks, and can help reduce transaction fees and increase financial inclusion.
Blockchain
Blockchain is a distributed ledger that records transactions in a secure and transparent way. Each block in the chain contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, creating an immutable record of all transactions on the network. Blockchain has the potential to disrupt a wide range of industries, including finance, healthcare, and supply chain management. Blockchain can help increase transparency, reduce fraud, and improve efficiency.
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)
DLT is a type of database that is distributed across a network of computers. Each computer in the network has a copy of the database, and any changes to the database are recorded in a transparent and immutable way. DLT has the potential to disrupt a wide range of industries, including finance, healthcare, and government. DLT can help increase transparency, reduce fraud, and improve efficiency.
Disruptive Potential
The disruptive potential of cryptocurrency, blockchain, and DLT is significant. Here are some of the ways that these technologies could disrupt traditional industries: Finance Cryptocurrency and blockchain have the potential to disrupt traditional financial systems by providing a more secure and transparent way to transfer value. Cryptocurrency eliminates the need for intermediaries, such as banks, and can help reduce transaction fees and increase financial inclusion. Blockchain can also help reduce fraud and increase transparency in financial transactions. Healthcare
Blockchain and DLT have the potential to disrupt the healthcare industry by providing a more secure and transparent way to store and share patient data. Blockchain can help increase patient privacy and reduce the risk of data breaches. DLT can also help improve the efficiency of healthcare systems by reducing administrative costs and improving supply chain management.
Government
DLT has the potential to disrupt traditional government systems by providing a more secure and transparent way to store and share data. DLT can help increase transparency and reduce fraud in government transactions. DLT can also help improve the efficiency of government systems by reducing administrative costs and improving data management.
Conclusion
Cryptocurrency, blockchain, and DLT have the potential to disrupt traditional industries and revolutionize the way we do business, interact with each other, and even govern ourselves. These technologies offer a more secure and transparent way to transfer value, store and share data, and reduce fraud. As these technologies continue to evolve, we can expect to see more innovative solutions emerge that have the potential to disrupt traditional industries even further.
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luigiblood · 10 months
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An interpretation of the Dolphin on Steam situation.
As a reminder, Dolphin, the GameCube and Wii emulator, had announced a release of a Steam version using features from Steam like cloud save, Steam Deck native support and all.
A couple of days ago, Dolphin's Steam page was pulled down, then Dolphin's official blog mentioned a DMCA takedown, and PC Gamer reported on it, quoting the DMCA. Then we all went a bit crazy over this, then Delroth, a former Dolphin member, talked in a bit more detail, and debunked a misunderstanding.
You can still read this from Delroth here: https://mastodon.delroth.net/@delroth/110440301402516214
EDIT: Delroth has made one more very interesting post on Reddit about encryption keys in emulators here: https://www.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/140b7x5/are_dolphin_devs_special_in_bundling_decryption/
All in all, the situation was misinterpreted from all sides, and to sum it up, according to Delroth: Valve asked Nintendo about this, and Nintendo said they don't want this, and quoted the DMCA's set of laws. In fact, not only Delroth says this, a lawyer contacted by PC Gamer essentially says the same thing in the updated report here.
One more preface: I am NOT a lawyer, legal text is very hard to fully grasp, this is only my own interpretation of the situation, what I am about to say may be VERY VERY WRONG. Got it?
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act is a copyright law from 1998. It is made of several titles and acts. The first title contains the anti-circumvention part which we'll get to later. The second title contains the takedown process part.
DMCA Takedown
I'll get to the second title first:
To sum it up, this is the part where you can do a copyright infringement claim, a "notice and takedown" process. This process also includes the ability of a counterclaim.
NONE OF THIS HAPPENED ON DOLPHIN ON STEAM. Nintendo did not use this process. They just told Valve a reason, and it was Valve's decision alone that got the emulator removed, and they notified Dolphin of the reason.
I won't really debate much on this, it's not really interesting.
"Anti-circumvention"
Now, the anti-circumvention part, the meaty part. There's a lot of legal text, but I will translate to the best of my abilities to you, don't worry.
This is the part where I feel the least comfortable about, and again, this is an interpretation, but let's start again from that quote that I had (from PC Gamer, by the way):
the Dolphin emulator operates by incorporating these cryptographic keys without Nintendo’s authorization and decrypting the ROMs at or immediately before runtime. Thus, use of the Dolphin emulator unlawfully 'circumvent[s] a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under' the Copyright Act.
The thing is... I only said that indeed, the Wii Common Key, required to decrypt everything, is included in Dolphin's source code. It's... not necessarily the problematic point of this, as I tried to read more into it, and I will go back to the Lockpick_RCM actual DMCA takedown.
Lockpick_RCM is a Switch tool that gets a set of keys from your Switch console and puts them into an easy to read file that could be used in conjunction with other Switch tools. They're required to decrypt pretty much everything about the Switch, from games to other packages.
The use of Lockpick with a modified Nintendo Switch console allows users to bypass Nintendo’s Technological Measures for video games
A thing you read a lot is "Technological Measures"... turns out this has a bit of a definition in 17 U.S.C. §1201... or rather, in that text itself, here's the very first thing you can read:
17 U.S.C. §1201 (a)(1)(A) No person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title.
The wording "circumvent a technological measure" happens to have a definition tied to it:
17 U.S.C. §1201 (a)(3) As used in this subsection— (A) to “circumvent a technological measure” means to descramble a scrambled work, to decrypt an encrypted work, or otherwise to avoid, bypass, remove, deactivate, or impair a technological measure, without the authority of the copyright owner; and (B) a technological measure “effectively controls access to a work” if the measure, in the ordinary course of its operation, requires the application of information, or a process or a treatment, with the authority of the copyright owner, to gain access to the work.
It's a somewhat precise definition, actually, and purely relying on it... this makes pretty much everything Wii, 3DS, Wii U and Switch a very dangerous situation.
The "technological measure" also has a definition:
17 U.S.C. §1201 (a)(3)(B) a technological measure “effectively controls access to a work” if the measure, in the ordinary course of its operation, requires the application of information, or a process or a treatment, with the authority of the copyright owner, to gain access to the work.
Basically it just means a DRM (Digital Rights Management) process of sorts.
A lot of people loves to talk about the previous lawsuits on emulators, but note that I never mentioned the emulation being the issue here. Nintendo is NOT arguing, on a legal level anyway, that emulators are illegal by being one, their communication team does by stifling innovation in their public arguments.
According to 17 U.S.C. §1201 (a)(3)(A), just having encryption is enough to consider that they're protected, and just decrypting is already illegal... this affects a lot more than you think, it's not just Dolphin at this point, it seems we misunderstood a lot of things about the DMCA.
To sum it up more bluntly: I don't feel like the encryption key is the main argument, it's actually about what you do with it that they argue against.
So even if Dolphin removed the Wii Common Key, if they still include the decryption process, even if you provided the key yourself from your own system, EVEN your own Wii dumps, the argument here implies that since you're still decrypting the Wii dump data, this last part is argued to be illegal. This ain't right.
Now apply this to everything else, even if you decrypted the game beforehand so that Dolphin doesn't even decrypt anything, the problem would be moved to the dumper or the decrypter tool doing it. This applies to a lot of systems.
Considering the definition I showed earlier, this seems hard to argue against, however, notice that I never said anything as fact, and insisted that it is Nintendo's argument, legally speaking, I believe this is an important distinction to make.
Exceptions?
The law also explicitly defines exceptions to this, but please read carefully, because this is where I start to really interpret from here:
In 17 U.S.C. §1201 (a)(1)(B), my understanding is that when the protection itself prevents legitimate use, then you are allowed to break it. That said, and this is important: The later subparagraphs defines these paragraphs as something that CANNOT BE USED AS A DEFENSE. This is only there to shield the Library of Congress from any attack, and to allow them to research the various impacts that the protection does and determine rules. Their ruling is also explicitly not allowed to be used as a defense in the text.
After reading a lot of this, I only found one thing that, very honestly, I find quite unclear. Subsection (f) about Reverse Engineering, is particularly showing how much they're not well versed in computer science.
17 U.S.C. §1201 (f) basically says if you're trying to understand how the program works, you are allowed to circumvent the protection, under the idea that you're doing analysis, or...
17 U.S.C. §1201 (f)(2) for the purpose of enabling interoperability of an independently created computer program with other programs, if such means are necessary to achieve such interoperability, to the extent that doing so does not constitute infringement under this title.
In the case of infringement, I believe this is about copyright in general, as the law suggests this does not affect copyright laws in any way.
So what is interoperability... well let's take the definition from there:
17 U.S.C. §1201 (f)(4) For purposes of this subsection, the term “interoperability” means the ability of computer programs to exchange information, and of such programs mutually to use the information which has been exchanged.
So we're talking about the ability for a program to exchange information with the work, in this case, a game for example.
...what is this? Programs exchange information all the time. That's even the basis of a computer. Maybe there are other definitions, but frankly I can't be bothered to read even more legalese right now.
With just this, and not taking into account anything else, I feel like this allows emulators to work, they don't really modify the game, they try to run it within a sandbox, where a lot of information is exchanged to make sure the program runs as intended.
Oddly enough this would still make the ability to run those games on a modded Switch still illegal though, while emulators could be allowed to do this.
But make no mistake: This is not a legally tested argument. I need to repeat: This is an interpretation. Lawsuits literally work with lawyers interpreting information and the laws, and argue. The whole idea of laws being unclear is not necessarily a fault, it's specifically why lawyers exist.
Why now? And what now?
Honestly, as much as Nintendo argued, for the time being, they have not shown any intention to take down Dolphin as a whole. They could just argue as a scare tactic to prevent Dolphin to reach an even more mainstream status. I doubt Nintendo didn't know about Dolphin for that long.
Until I see an actual DMCA takedown, or worse against Dolphin itself, I'm going to assume Dolphin will stay up for a long time.
Removing the Wii Common Key from Dolphin will not change the situation, as it is the whole decryption process that the argument is about.
Whether Citra, Cemu, Yuzu and Ryujinx could have included the keys or not, the argument would still be the same here.
TL;DR of the complicated part
About the takedown itself:
Valve asked Nintendo about Dolphin on Steam, and they argued that Dolphin is illegal because it decrypts Wii games, and Valve, on their own accord, took down Dolphin from Steam from this. (Note: GameCube does not use encryption and cannot be impacted by this.)
An actual lawyer also takes this as a warning from Nintendo to Valve according to PC Gamer.
About the argument that Nintendo used against Dolphin:
Encryption Keys are NOT the main point of contention, because...
The encryption itself, as a whole, is argued by Nintendo to be a protection measure.
This means that decrypting the game outside of the intended way by the copyright owner (Nintendo, on a Nintendo Switch) is argued to be illegal by default.
The law, as in how I interpret it, goes in that sense, but for some reason you are allowed to make an additional program that can "interoperate" with the protected works in question and explicitly is allowed to break the protection. This is a vague part, and could be used in defense of Dolphin, potentially.
The final answer can only be answered in a courtroom.
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b3aches · 8 months
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Red Team Blues
A very novel novel, reviewed
tl;dr - it's a good book and if detective stories or thrillers are of interest to you, I would recommend checking it out.
Warning: possible minor spoilers below. If you want to go in blind, stop reading.
A mixture of a noir detective story and a cyber dystopian alternate reality nearly indistinguishable from our own, Red Team Blues is a roller coaster ride. The story follows our hero, Martin "Marty" Hench, a 67-year-old bachelor forensic accountant for hire on his last job before retirement. A prodigious sleuth at finding assets that some people would rather stay hidden, he has had a long and storied career stretching back to the beginnings of Silicon Valley. When Marty's old friend Danny Lazer calls in a favor to discreetly retrieve some stolen cryptographic keys that allow for control over Danny's revolutionary new blockchain system, Marty diligently works to find the keys. Fortunately, Marty is good at his job. He returns the keys and receives his payment for finding the assets: a cool 300 million dollars. Unfortunately, he also happens to find some dead bodies along with said assets. Consequently, he finds himself in a race against time to solve the mystery of what really happened and to clear his name before either the family of the dead or the people they double-crossed take him out.
The story is not just a gumshoe thriller taken on the road, but also a commentary about Silicon Valley, the impacts that technology has on our world and the people in it, and the differences between the haves and have-nots. It touches on the difficulties of playing defense (the blue team), the ease of playing the offense (the red team), and the benefits of playing to your strengths. 
The characters are well written and feel like real, actualized people. They have their own lives, their own experiences, and their own voices. And Marty has to rely on them. He can't keep himself safe without the help of friends and strangers, and he does what he can to help keep them safe in return.
Ultimately, it's a masterfully written book (and well narrated by Wil Wheaton) that is hard to put down. I listened to the audiobook nearly non-stop. When it was done, I had to fight the urge from starting it back from the beginning. I'm truly excited that this is the beginning of a series, and especially one that has the interesting twist where it is, chronologically, the end of the story.  As stated previously, Red Team Blues is a good book and if detective stories or thrillers are of interest to you, I would highly recommend checking it out.
You can get a copy of the ebook or audiobook directly from the author here. You can also buy the audiobook from libro.fm or get a physical copy from bookshop.org
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mariacallous · 7 months
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Last week, WIRED published a deep-dive investigation into Trickbot, the prolific Russian ransomware gang. This week, US and UK authorities sanctioned 11 alleged members of Trickbot and its related group, Conti, including Maksim Galochkin, aka Bentley, one of the alleged members whose real-world identity we confirmed through our investigation. Coincidence? Maybe. Either way, it's a big deal.
In addition to the US and UK sanctions, the US Justice Department also unsealed indictments filed in three US federal courts against Galochkin and eight other alleged Trickbot members for ransomware attacks against entities in Ohio, Tennessee, and California. Because everyone charged is a Russian national, however, it is unlikely they will ever be arrested or face trial.
While Russian cybercriminals typically enjoy immunity, the same may not remain true for the country’s military hackers. The lead prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) says the ICC will begin pursuing charges for cyber war crimes. The prosecutor, Karim Khan, did not name Russia, but the move follows a formal petition from the Human Rights Center at UC Berkeley’s School of Law asking the ICC to prosecute Russia’s Sandworm hackers for war crimes. Part of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, Sandworm is responsible for causing blackouts in Ukraine, the only known instances of cyberattacks shutting down an electrical grid. Sandworm also released the NotPetya malware against Ukraine, which ultimately spread globally and caused an unprecedented $10 billion in damages worldwide.
Russia is far from the only country that engages in offensive cyberwar tactics. China-backed hackers have repeatedly targeted the US and other countries, and they may be getting some help finding unpatched vulnerabilities. A Chinese law passed in 2022 demands that any network technology company operating in the country share details about vulnerabilities in its products with the Chinese government within two days of their discovery. Information about these vulnerabilities may then be shared with China’s hackers. It’s unclear how many Western companies comply with the law or provide enough information to allow Chinese hackers to exploit the products’ flaws.
Speaking of Chinese hackers, Microsoft this week finally explained how China’s state-sponsored hackers managed to steal a cryptographic key that allowed the attackers to successfully access the Outlook email accounts of at least 25 organizations, including US government agencies. According to Microsoft, the hackers broke into the account of a company engineer using token-stealing malware. They then used that account to access a cache of crash data that accidentally contained the signing key they then stole and used to go on an Outlook hacking spree. None of this was supposed to be possible, and Microsoft says it has corrected several flaws in its systems that allowed the attack to happen.
Before he died in a mysterious plane crash last month following an attempted coup against Russian president Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin wasn’t just the leader of the Wagner Group mercenaries. He was also the head of the notorious Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russian outfit responsible for widespread disinformation campaigns. While the IRA was reportedly shut down, new research shows that pro-Prigozhin trolls continue to push his agenda. Many of the accounts spreading disinformation on X (formerly Twitter) have been banned. But since when has that stopped them?
Elsewhere, we explained how prompt injection attacks against generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT take advantage of a flaw that’s difficult to fix. We detailed how hard it is to opt out of allowing Facebook to use your data to train its AI. We have a rundown on Proton Sentinel, a suite of tools that are similar to Google’s offerings but with a strong emphasis on privacy and security. We also co-published a story with The Markup into Axon’s quest to build Taser-armed drones. And we got the inside scoop on a meeting between top US spies and civil liberties groups over Section 702 of the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Act, which is set to expire at the end of the year.
But that’s not all. Each week, we round up the security and privacy news we didn’t cover in depth ourselves. Click the headlines to read the full stories. And stay safe out there.
Your New Car Is a Privacy Nightmare
Car companies are collecting and selling extremely detailed personal data from drivers who have no real way to opt out, a new report from the Mozilla Foundation found. Researchers spent hundreds of hours studying 25 privacy policies for major car brands and found that none of them met the foundation’s minimum standards around privacy and security.
According to the report, modern cars, stuffed to the roof with sensors, collect more information about you than just about any other product in your life. They know where you go, what you say, and how you move your body. Nissan’s privacy policy, for example, allows the company to collect and share drivers’ sexual activity, health diagnosis data, and genetic information, according to the report.
Eighty-four percent of the brands that researchers studied share or sell this kind of personal data, and only two of them allow drivers to have their data deleted. While it is unclear exactly who these companies share or sell data to, the report points out that there is a huge market for driver data. An automotive data broker called High Mobility cited in the report has a partnership with nine of the car brands Mozilla studied. On its website, it advertises a wide range of data products—including precise location data.
This isn’t just a privacy nightmare but a security one. Volkswagen, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz have all recently suffered data leaks or breaches that affected millions of customers. According to Mozilla, cars are the worst category of products for privacy that they have ever reviewed.
Update Your iPhone: Apple Fixes No-Click Zero-Days
Apple has just released a security update to iOS after researchers at Citizen Lab discovered a zero-click vulnerability being used to deliver Pegasus spyware. Citizen Lab, which is part of the University of Toronto, is calling the newly discovered exploit chain Blastpass. Researchers say it is capable of compromising iPhones running the latest version of iOS (16.6) without the target even touching their device. According to researchers, Blastpass is delivered to a victim’s phone through an iMessage with an Apple Wallet attachment containing a malicious image.
The Pegasus spyware, developed by NSO Group, enables an attacker to read a target’s text messages, view their photos, and listen to calls. It has been used to track journalists, political dissidents, and human rights activists around the world.
Apple says customers should update their phones to the newly released iOS 16.6.1. The exploit can also attack certain models of iPads. You can see details of the affected models here. Citizen Lab urges at-risk users to enable Lockdown Mode.
North Korean Hackers Target Security Researchers Again
North Korea-backed hackers are targeting cybersecurity researchers in a new campaign that is exploiting at least one zero-day vulnerability, Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) warned in a report released Thursday. The group did not provide details about the vulnerability since it is currently unpatched. However, the company says it is part of a popular software package used by security researchers.
According to TAG, the current attack mirrors a January 2021 campaign that similarly targeted security researchers working on vulnerability research and development. Like the previous campaign, North Korean threat actors send researchers malicious files after first spending weeks establishing a relationship with their target. According to the report, the malicious file will execute “a series of anti-virtual machine checks” and send collected information—along with a screenshot—back to the attacker.
Georgia DA in Trump RICO Case Gets Doxxed
In order to shield prospective jurors from harassment, District Attorney Fani Willis asked the judge in Donald Trump’s racketeering trial to prevent people from capturing or distributing any sort of image or identifying information about them. The motion, filed in Fulton County Superior Court on Wednesday, revealed that immediately after the indictment was filed, anonymous individuals on “conspiracy theory websites" had shared the full names, ages, and addresses of 23 grand jurors with “the intent to harass and intimidate them.”
Willis also revealed that she had been the victim of doxxing when the personal information of her and her family—including their physical addresses and “GPS coordinates”—was posted on an unnamed website hosted by a Russian company. Willis, who is Black, had previously disclosed that she faced racist and violent threats after the announcement of her investigation into the former president.
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misternews · 6 months
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BITCOIN KING OF CURRENCY
Bitcoin, the revolutionary digital currency, has been making waves in the financial world since its inception in 2009. With its decentralized nature and secure transactions, it has gained popularity among investors and tech enthusiasts alike. In this article, we will delve into the world of Bitcoin, exploring its features, benefits, and the future it holds.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that allows for peer-to-peer transactions without the need for intermediaries such as banks. It was invented by an anonymous person or group of people using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Operating on a technology called blockchain, Bitcoin ensures secure and transparent transactions through a network of computers known as nodes.
How Does Bitcoin Work?
Bitcoin works on the principle of blockchain technology, a distributed ledger that records all transactions made using the indo3388 cryptocurrency. When someone initiates a Bitcoin transaction, it is broadcasted to the network of nodes. These nodes validate the transaction by solving info slot complex mathematical problems. Once verified, the transaction is added as a block to the blockchain.
Benefits of Bitcoin
Decentralization: Bitcoin operates on a decentralized network, meaning that no central authority controls or governs it. This provides individuals with more control over their finances and reduces the risk of government interference or manipulation.
Security: Bitcoin transactions are highly secure due to the use of cryptographic algorithms. Each transaction is digitally signed to ensure authenticity and integrity, making it nearly impossible to counterfeit or manipulate.
Anonymity: While Bitcoin transactions are public, users have the option to remain anonymous. Instead of using personal information, Bitcoin addresses are used, providing a certain degree of privacy.
Low Transaction Fees: Traditional financial institutions often charge hefty fees for international or large-scale transactions. Bitcoin eliminates the need for intermediaries, resulting in lower transaction fees, especially for cross-border transfers.
Global Accessibility: Bitcoin can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection, regardless of their geographic location. This allows for seamless international transactions and financial inclusion for the unbanked population.
The Future of Bitcoin
The future of Bitcoin looks promising, with its growing acceptance and adoption in various industries. Here are some slot gacor key factors shaping its future:
Increased Institutional Adoption: With companies like Tesla and Square investing in Bitcoin, institutional adoption is on the rise. This not only adds credibility to the cryptocurrency but also paves the way for more mainstream acceptance.
Technological Advancements: As technology evolves, so does Bitcoin. Innovations such as the Lightning Network aim to improve scalability and transaction speeds, addressing some of the current limitations of the network.
Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs): Governments around the world are exploring the concept of CBDCs, digital currencies issued and regulated by central banks. This could potentially lead to a greater acceptance and integration of Bitcoin into the traditional financial system.
Store of Value: Bitcoin is often referred to as "slot online" due to its limited supply and scarcity. As a store of value, Bitcoin can act as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty, making it an attractive asset for long-term investment. In conclusion, Bitcoin has emerged as a revolutionary form of digital currency, offering benefits such as decentralization, security, and low transaction fees. Its future looks promising, with increasing institutional adoption and technological advancements. Whether Bitcoin will become the currency of the future remains to be seen, but its impact on the indo3388 financial landscape is undeniable. So, are you ready to embrace the world of Bitcoin and explore the possibilities it holds?
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beardedmrbean · 5 months
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Oct. 30 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden signed an executive order Monday that slaps new requirements on tech developers to mitigate the risks of artificial intelligence and establishes new safety standards that aim to protect privacy and national security.
Biden's directive is the most sweeping action yet to regulate AI, and entails several strategies to limit safety and security risks to the nation, including a trust-but-verify arrangement between the government and the private sector.
The order requires AI system developers to share safety test results and other critical information with the administration as they become available, especially in cases where an AI model poses a serious risk to national security, national economic security, or national public health and safety, the White House announced in a statement.
Under the order, Biden also calls on the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish rigorous safety testing for the technology before it's made available to the public.
Biden directed the Department of Homeland Security to establish the AI Safety and Security Board, which will apply the standards to critical infrastructure in an effort to limit chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and cybersecurity threats.
The president told agencies that fund scientific research to attach specific conditions to federal funding for companies responsible for mitigating risks associated with AI-engineered biological materials.
"These measures will ensure AI systems are safe, secure, and trustworthy before companies make them public," the White House said.
Biden also ordered the Department of Commerce to develop public guidance for content authentication and watermarking to clearly label AI-generated content.
"Federal agencies will use these tools to make it easy for Americans to know that the communications they receive from their government are authentic -- and set an example for the private sector and governments around the world," the statement said.
Biden ordered White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and the National Security Council to develop further AI security actions to protect the military and intelligence communities.
The order also creates an advanced cybersecurity program to develop tools that would fix vulnerabilities in AI software.
Biden's order builds on several previous actions by the president to ensure safe and transparent development of the emerging technology, while he was also preparing to deliver legislation to Congress that seeks to protect the nation from AI's harmful potential.
The administration has secured commitments from more than a dozen tech companies to take a responsible approach to developing artificial intelligence for ethical purposes.
The order also contains priorities to protect individual privacy through stronger cryptographic tools and other protective technologies.
Biden called for government agencies to evaluate how they collect and use commercially available information to account for any AI risks.
The executive order builds on the administration's Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, which was released earlier this year to promote responsible innovation in the field.
In February, Biden ordered all federal agencies to uproot bias in their technological action plans and to protect the public from algorithmic racial discrimination, which is also one of the primary capabilities of AI technology.
Biden's executive order reiterates these commitments, emphasizing the importance of countering bias and other forms of discrimination in AI to maintain equity in areas such as justice, healthcare, and housing.
Previously, the administration said it would continue working with the companies over time to keep controls on pace with AI's future development.
Biden's order also addresses AI's potential impact on the labor market, education, and consumer spending.
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Dinkclump Linkdump
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I'm on tour with my new novel The Bezzle! Catch me TONIGHT in LA (Saturday night, with Adam Conover), Seattle (Monday, with Neal Stephenson), then Portland, Phoenix and more!
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Some Saturday mornings, I look at the week's blogging and realize I have a lot more links saved up than I managed to write about this week, and then I do a linkdump. There've been 14 of these, and this is number 15:
https://pluralistic.net/tag/linkdump/
Attentive readers will note that this isn't Saturday. You're right. But I'm on a book tour and every day is shatterday, because damn, it's grueling and I'm not the spry manchild who took Little Brother on the road in 2008 – I'm a 52 year old with two artificial hips. Hence: an out-of-cycle linkdump. Come see me on tour and marvel at my verticality!
https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/16/narrative-capitalism/#bezzle-tour
Best thing I read this week, hands down, was Ryan Broderick's Garbage Day piece, "AI search is a doomsday cult":
https://www.garbageday.email/p/ai-search-doomsday-cult
Broderick makes so many excellent points in this piece. First among them: AI search sucks, but that's OK, because no one is asking for AI search. This only got more true later in the week when everyone's favorite spicy autocomplete accidentally loaded the James Joyce module:
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/02/chatgpt-alarms-users-by-spitting-out-shakespearean-nonsense-and-rambling/
(As Matt Webb noted, Chatbots have slid rapidly from Star Trek (computers give you useful information in a timely fashion) to Douglas Adams (computers spout hostile, impenetrable nonsense at you):
https://interconnected.org/home/2024/02/21/adams
But beyond the unsuitability of AI for search results and beyond the public's yawning indifference to AI-infused search, Broderick makes a more important point: AI search is about summarizing web results so you don't have to click links and read the pages yourself.
If that's the future of the web, who the fuck is going to write those pages that the summarizer summarizes? What is the incentive, the business-model, the rational explanation for predicting a world in which millions of us go on writing web-pages, when the gatekeepers to the web have promised to rig the game so that no one will ever visit those pages, or read what we've written there, or even know it was us who wrote the underlying material the summarizer just summarized?
If we stop writing the web, AIs will have to summarize each other, forming an inhuman centipede of botshit-ingestion. This is bad news, because there's pretty solid mathematical evidence that training a bot on botshit makes it absolutely useless. Or, as the authors of the paper – including the eminent cryptographer Ross Anderson – put it, "using model-generated content in training causes irreversible defects":
https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.17493
This is the mathematical evidence for Jathan Sadowski's "Hapsburg AI," or, as the mathematicians call it, "The Curse of Recursion" (new band-name just dropped).
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But if you really have your heart set on living in a ruined dystopia dominated by hostile artificial life-forms, have no fear. As Hamilton Nolan writes in "Radical Capital," a rogues gallery of worker-maiming corporations have asked a court to rule that the NLRB can't punish them for violating labor law:
https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/radical-capital
Trader Joe’s, Amazon, Starbucks and SpaceX have all made this argument to various courts. If they prevail, then there will be no one in charge of enforcing federal labor law. Yes, this will let these companies go on ruining their workers' lives, but more importantly, it will give carte blanche to every other employer in the land. At one end of this process is a boss who doesn't want to recognize a union – and at the other end are farmers dying of heat-stroke.
The right wing coalition that has put this demand before the court has all sorts of demands, from forced birth to (I kid you not), the end of recreational sex:
https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2024/02/getting-rid-of-birth-control-is-a-key-gop-agenda-item-for-the-second-trump-term
That coalition is backed by ultra-rich monopolists who want wreck the nation that their rank-and-file useful idiots want to wreck your body. These are the monopoly cheerleaders who gave us the abomination that is the Pharmacy Benefit Manager – a useless intermediary that gets to screw patients and pharmacists – and then let PBMs consolidate and merge with pharmacy monopolists.
One such inbred colossus is Change Healthcare, a giant PBM that is, in turn, a mere tendril of United Healthcare, which merged the company with Optum. The resulting system – held together with spit and wishful thinking – has access to the health records of a third of Americans and processes 15 billion prescriptions per day.
Or rather, it did process that amount – until the all-your-eggs-in-one-badly-maintained basket strategy failed on Wednesday, and Change's systems went down due to an unspecified "cybersecurity incident." In the short term, this meant that tens of millions of Americans who tried to refill their prescriptions were told to either pay cash or come back later (if you don't die first). That was the first shoe dropping. The second shoe is the medical records of a third of the country.
Don't worry, I'm sure those records are fine. After all, nothing says security like "merging several disparate legacy IT systems together while simultaneously laying off half your IT staff as surplus to requirements and an impediment to extracting a special dividend for the private equity owners who are, of course, widely recognized as the world's greatest information security practitioners."
Look, not everything is terrible. Some computers are actually getting better. Framework's user-serviceable, super-rugged, easy-to-repair, powerful laptops are the most exciting computers I've ever owned – or broken:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/13/graceful-failure/#frame
Now you can get one for $500!
https://frame.work/blog/first-framework-laptop-16-shipments-and-a-499-framework
And the next generation is turning our surprisingly well, despite all our worst efforts. My kid – now 16! – and I just launched our latest joint project, "The Sushi Chronicles," a small website recording our idiosyncratic scores for nearly every sushi restaurant in Burbank, Glendale, Studio City and North Hollywood:
https://sushichronicles.org/
This is the record of two years' worth of Daughter-Daddy sushi nights that started as a way to get my picky eater to try new things and has turned into the highlight of my week. If you're in the area and looking for a nice piece of fish, give it a spin (also, we belatedly realized that we've never reviewed our favorite place, Kuru Kuru in the CVS Plaza on North Hollywood Way – we'll be rectifying that soon).
And yes, we have a lavishly corrupt Supreme Court, but at least now everyone knows it. Glenn Haumann's even set up a Gofundme to raise money to bribe Clarence Thomas (now deleted, alas):
https://www.gofundme.com/f/pzhj4q-the-clarence-thomas-signing-bonus-fund-give-now
The funds are intended as a "signing bonus" in the event that Thomas takes up John Oliver on his offer of a $2.4m luxury RV and $1m/year for life if he'll resign from the court:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE-VJrdHMug
This is truly one of Oliver's greatest bits, showcasing his mastery over the increasingly vital art of turning abstruse technical issues into entertainment that negates the performative complexity used by today's greatest villains to hide their misdeeds behind a Shield of Boringness (h/t Dana Clare).
The Bezzle is my contribution to turning abstruse scams into a high-impact technothriller that pierces that Shield of Boringness. The key to this is to master exposition, ignoring the (vastly overrated) rule that one must "show, not tell." Good exposition is hard to do, but when it works, it's amazing (as anyone who's read Neal Stephenson's 1,600-word explanation of how to eat Cap'n Crunch cereal in Cryptonomicon can attest). I wrote about this for Mary Robinette Kowal's "My Favorite Bit" this week:
https://maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/my-favorite-bit/my-favorite-bit-cory-doctorow-talks-about-the-bezzle/
Of course, an undisputed master of this form is Adam Conover, whose Adam Ruins Everything show helped invent it. Adam is joining me on stage in LA tomorrow night at Vroman's at 5:30PM, to host me in a book-tour event for my novel The Bezzle:
https://www.vromansbookstore.com/Cory-Doctorow-discusses-The-Bezzle
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If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/23/gazeteer/#out-of-cycle
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Image: Peter Craven (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aggregate_output_%287637833962%29.jpg
CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
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What is Blockchain Technology & How Does Blockchain Work?
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Introduction 
Gratix Technologies has emerged as one of the most revolutionary and transformative innovations of the 21st century. This decentralized and transparent Blockchain Development Company  has the potential to revolutionize various industries, from finance to supply chain management and beyond. Understanding the basics of Custom Blockchain Development Company  and how it works is essential for grasping the immense opportunities it presents. 
What is Blockchain Development Company 
Blockchain Development Company  is more than just a buzzword thrown around in tech circles. Simply put, blockchain is a ground-breaking technology that makes digital transactions safe and transparent. Well, think of Custom Blockchain Development Company as a digital ledger that records and stores transactional data in a transparent and secure manner. Instead of relying on a single authority, like a bank or government, blockchain uses a decentralized network of computers to validate and verify transactions. 
Brief History of Custom Blockchain Development Company
The Custom Blockchain Development Company was founded in the early 1990s, but it didn't become well-known until the emergence of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The notion of a decentralized digital ledger was initially presented by Scott Stornetta and Stuart Haber. Since then, Blockchain  Development Company has advanced beyond cryptocurrency and found uses in a range of sectors, including voting systems, supply chain management, healthcare, and banking.
Cryptography and Security
One of the key features of blockchain is its robust security. Custom  Blockchain Development Company  relies on advanced cryptographic algorithms to secure transactions and protect the integrity of the data stored within it. By using cryptographic hashing, digital signatures, and asymmetric encryption, blockchain ensures that transactions are tamper-proof and verifiable. This level of security makes blockchain ideal for applications that require a high degree of trust and immutability.
The Inner Workings of Blockchain Development Company
Blockchain Development Company data is structured into blocks, each containing a set of transactions. These blocks are linked together in a chronological order, forming a chain of blocks hence the name  of Custom Blockchain Development Company. Each block contains a unique identifier, a timestamp, a reference to the previous block, and the transactions it includes. This interconnected structure ensures the immutability of the data since any changes in one block would require altering all subsequent blocks, which is nearly impossible due to the decentralized nature of the network.
Transaction Validation and Verification
When a new transaction is initiated, it is broadcasted to the network and verified by multiple nodes through consensus mechanisms. Once validated, the transaction is added to a new block, which is then appended to the blockchain. This validation and verification process ensures that fraudulent or invalid transactions are rejected, maintaining the integrity and reliability of the blockchain.
Public vs. Private Blockchains
There are actually two main types of blockchain technology: private and public. Public Custom  Blockchain Development Company, like Bitcoin and Ethereum, are open to anyone and allow for a decentralized network of participants. On the other hand, private blockchains restrict access to a select group of participants, offering more control and privacy. Both types have their advantages and use cases, and the choice depends on the specific requirements of the application.
Peer-to-Peer Networking
Custom Blockchain Development Company  operates on a peer-to-peer network, where each participant has equal authority. This removes the need for intermediaries, such as banks or clearinghouses, thereby reducing costs and increasing the speed of transactions. Peer-to-peer networking also enhances security as there is no single point of failure or vulnerability. Participants in the network collaborate to maintain the Custom Blockchain Development Company security and validate transactions, creating a decentralized ecosystem that fosters trust and resilience.
Blockchain Applications and Use Cases
If you've ever had to deal with the headache of transferring money internationally or verifying your identity for a new bank account, you'll appreciate How Custom Blockchain Development Company can revolutionize the financial industry.  Custom Blockchain Development Company  provides a decentralized and transparent ledger system that can streamline transactions, reduce costs, and enhance security. From international remittances to smart contracts, the possibilities are endless for making our financial lives a little easier.
Supply Chain Management
Ever wondered where your new pair of sneakers came from?  Custom Blockchain Development Company can trace every step of a product's journey, from raw materials to manufacturing to delivery. By recording each transaction on the Custom Blockchain Development Company supply chain management becomes more transparent, efficient, and trustworthy. No more worrying about counterfeit products or unethical sourcing - blockchain has got your back!
Enhanced Security and Trust
In a world where hacking and data breaches seem to happen on a daily basis, Custom Blockchain Development Company offers a beacon of hope. Its cryptographic algorithms and decentralized nature make it incredibly secure and resistant to tampering. Plus, with its transparent and immutable ledger, Custom Blockchain Development Company builds trust by providing a verifiable record of transactions. So you can say goodbye to those sleepless nights worrying about your data being compromised!
Improved Efficiency and Cost Savings
Who doesn't love a little efficiency and cost savings? With blockchain, intermediaries and third-party intermediaries can be eliminated, reducing the time and cost associated with transactions. Whether it's cross-border payments or supply chain management, Custom blockchain Development Company streamlined processes can save businesses a ton of money. And who doesn't want to see those savings reflected in their bottom line?
The Future of Blockchain: Trends and Innovations
As Custom  Blockchain Development Company continues to evolve, one of the key trends we're seeing is the focus on interoperability and integration. Different blockchain platforms and networks are working towards the seamless transfer of data and assets, making it easier for businesses and individuals to connect and collaborate. Imagine a world where blockchain networks can communicate with each other like old friends, enabling new possibilities and unlocking even more potential.
Conclusion
Custom Blockchain Development Company has the potential to transform industries, enhance security, and streamline processes. From financial services to supply chain management to healthcare, the applications are vast and exciting. However, challenges such as scalability and regulatory concerns need to be addressed for widespread adoption. With trends like interoperability and integration, as well as the integration of Blockchain Development Company  with IoT and government systems, the future looks bright for blockchain technology. So strap on your digital seatbelt and get ready for the blockchain revolution!
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