A hacker who claims to have ties to the group Anonymous has stolen sensitive data from sites hosted on the darkweb site Daniel's Hosting, ZdNet reported. The hacker took down 7,600 websites On May 31, news broke online about a hacker who stole and published data from Daniel's Hosting, the largest free hosting provider on the darknet. The hacker operating under the alias "KingNull" - claims to belong to the Anonymus collective. Allegedly, during the hack of DH on March 10, he obtained information that made it possible to take down 7600 websites published on darkweb. This fact forced the hosting provider to terminate its services and prompted users to move their sites to new servers. Data leak may help track down the identities of those managing illegal sites on DarkNet According to ZdNet, the stolen data includes 3,671 email addresses, 7,205 passwords and 8,850 private domain keys attached to darknet websites Under the Beach, a web threat company, confirmed ZDNet's findings and commented on the attack as follows: "This information could greatly assist law enforcement in tracking down individuals conducting or participating in illegal darknet activities." The hosting company warned its users to change their passwords immediately as they can be used to take over their accounts with other providers. Daniel Hosting was reportedly the main place where illegal cybercrime-related websites were maintained. According to the company, many customers were running politically motivated sites and they may reveal their identities to law enforcement. The ZdNet report noted that the hacker did not steal IP addresses associated with users. At this point, Daniel Winzen, chief executive of Daniel Hosting, has not set a date for the service's restart. Hacker's alleged links to Anonymus group Information that the hacker is allegedly affiliated with the group Anonymous would not be surprising. The collective launched "Operation Darknet" in 2013 targeting Freedom Hosting, which was at the time the largest web host on the TOR network. The operation was meant to prevent the distribution of child pornography. Recent data released by Crystal Blockchain Analytics showed that the total value of Bitcoin sent on the Darknet increased by 65% in the first quarter of 2020. This has drawn the attention of authorities to illegal transactions on the TOR network. Tags hacking attack bitcoin darkweb daniel hosting dark web Darknet
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Hacker steals database from largest web hosting provider on the Dark Web
Brazil is processing more and more documents on blockchain
Brazil has authenticated around 156,000 documents via blockchain in the last four months. This is a record high and indicates that the adoption of DLT technology in the country is accelerating. A statement released by the Association of Notaries and Registrars of Brazil (ANOREG) indicates that documents were authenticated through the e-Notary system. The authentication process allows citizens to sign and send documents through electronic platforms, such as WhatsApp or email, to relevant parties, including government institutions. Notrachain system The Brazilian blockchain system runs on Notrachain, the national blockchain network of notaries. This system enables the verification of documents in a virtual format. Notrachain supports services such as sales, divorce, donations, inventories, shares, wills, deeds, powers of attorney, among others. The e-Notary system is a product of the National Corregeduría de Justicia (CNJ) Law of 2020. In addition, this system minimizes the movement time of citizens throughout the country. Users can now perform routine tasks via video conferencing on any supported electronic device. Otherwise, they would have to move around. Pandemic accelerates blockchain adoption The statement added that the use of blockchain for document verification has gained momentum during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. There was a jump of at least 24% per month in 2020. According to the statement: Demand for a blockchain-based digital document authentication solution grew even faster, at a monthly average of 163%, reaching its peak in the last month of February 2021, when more than 71,000 pages were authenticated. ANOREG adds that the success of the e-Notary system will encourage wider adoption of the technology. Moreover, in addition to streamlining operations, blockchain reduces costs and minimizes unnecessary administrative procedures. Brazil is a country open to blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Just two weeks ago, the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) approved two cryptocurrency ETFs. The first is based 100% on Bitcoin, and the second consists of five cryptocurrencies. Both ETFs will appear on the Brazilian stock exchange. The QR ETF will be listed on B3 with the ticker QBTC11. The other, offered by Hashdex, will have the ticker HASH11. The HASH11 ETF is expected to begin trading later this month, while the QBTC11 ETF is expected to begin trading in Q2 2021. Tags Blockchain Brazil Documents e-Notary Notrachain
Is Facebook looking to ban cryptocurrencies again?
Elijaboom, a Twitter user, wrote on social media that the Facebook app is not allowing him to send the insidebitcoins.com link to a friend in Turkey. He noted that it looks like the reason is the word "Bitcoin". Is Mark Zuckerberg going to war against cryptocurrencies again? Mark Zuckerberg and company are hitting BTC again? Facebook, the social media giant, although itself planning to issue Libra - its digital currency - is still trying to censor Bitcoin and cryptocurrency related sites, it seems. It appears that related posts are in violation of the community's guidelines. The Facebook user in question received an error message when attempting to post a link, followed by a warning from which he learned that he could not post a link due to a violation of community guidelines. It is unclear whether Facebook has again updated or changed its community guidelines prohibiting the promotion of cryptocurrency content. The last public update on this issue was on June 26, 2018, when the platform introduced a complete ban on advertising about digital currencies and ICO initiatives. The origins of the disagreements Facebook's problems with cryptocurrencies began during the ICO boom in 2017. Many ICO projects used ads on social media platforms to promote their tokens. Unfortunately, a good portion of them turned out to be duds or outright scams. And that's why Mark Zuckerberg announced that his company was blocking ads for cryptocurrencies. Then, at the same time as the company announced plans for Libra, the ban was formally lifted. As you can see, however, the issue is not entirely clear. Does an attack on cryptocurrencies make sense? Facebook has over 845 million regular users. Many of them communicate with their friends almost only through the portal. However, such a restriction, concerning cryptocurrencies, would be a slight blow to the market. Another thing is that it would again be associated with censorship and scandals concerning the use of data by Facebook. And this is something that the company does not need. It's hard to say whether the incident described on Twitter (a platform that is very open to BTC) was just a single incident or if it's part of Facebook's new policy. We will know the truth soon enough. If you experience similar problems, please write to our editors. Tags facebook bitcoin Facebook Mark Zuckerberg cryptocurrencies ban on facebook
The number of bitcoin ATMs continues to grow.
The cryptocurrency user community is growing rapidly. All indications are that 2019 will bring even more growth. More real applications of digital currencies, positively affect their long-term value. One of the indicators that can be relied on to check the current interest in this market is the number of bitcoin ATMs (bitcoin cash machines) that are installed around the world. A good start to 2019 Already in the first week of 2019, 34 new bitcoin ATMs were installed. We can monitor the current statistics, among others, in the Coin ATM Radar service, which records new installations. This service allows users to find out where bitcoin ATMs are located around the world. This is obviously very useful for cryptocurrency users who spend a lot of time on the go. Official statistics show that there are 4153 such devices installed globally. According to the data, bitomates are installed at this moment in 75 countries around the world. Coin ATM Radar service also allows users to search for devices by the cryptocurrencies they support. It's worth noting that the rise of bitcoin ATMs comes at a time when many people see the cryptocurrency market as quite weak. Of course, bitcoin is still far from its highs. Its price currently sits at $4,000, which is about 80% below ATH. However, the fact that bitcoins are becoming more and more popular makes us think positively regarding the mass adoption of bitcoin. Despite the fact that 2018 brought price drops on exchanges, this did not stop the growth of bitcoins. We are talking about a solid growth, at the level of 100%. At the end of 2017, the number of such devices around the world was about 2,000. At the end of 2018, there were already more than 4,000. It is also worth noting that in December, the Bitcoin thread on Reddit reached 1 million subscribers, which indicates that interest in cryptocurrencies continues to grow. What else besides bitcoins? Of course, for those who are interested in withdrawing their digital assets into fiat currencies, there are other solutions as well. Cryptocurrency exchanges such as Bitbay or Bitclude also provide such an option. After converting your cryptocurrencies into traditional currency, for example, we can send our funds directly to our personal bank account. Tags bitcoin ATM btc ATM bitcoin ATMs bitcoin ATMs Bitcoin ATMs btc ATM btc ATMs bitcan platform
ERGO Hestia will use blockchain technology to settle accounts with customers
ERGO Hestia in cooperation with the Billon company are implementing a pilot solution based on blockchain, which allows the immediate transfer of money to customers without knowing their bank account number. The service will be available to, among others, customers who are due a refund of the premium, for example, for unused insurance period after the sale of the car. The solution enables a quick transfer of money to a client whose account number is not held by ERGO Hestia. Thanks to the introduced service, which uses electronic money, a phone number is enough to do it. "By using blockchain technology, customers will save a lot of time. The solution is intuitive, the whole process on the client's side takes a minute and allows the client to decide where the returned funds will go." - says Oskar Jedynasty, Director of the Automation Department in ERGO Hestia's IT Department. The blockchain solution is based on the service provided by Billon Solutions, the first entity in Poland to obtain an e-money institution license issued by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority. The digital zlotys are stored in the distributed ledger technology (DLT) developed by Billon, which, unlike other blockchain systems, enables transactions with real currencies issued by central banks. "I am delighted that ERGO Hestia is joining companies using electronic money based on Billon's distributed ledger. Our solutions help companies that need to transfer money to a recipient - a client or partner - without knowing their details. The company can send the money securely and in accordance with legal requirements, and the customer is satisfied that they received their money back right away." - says Jacek Figuła, Billon's head of sales. About ERGO Hestia: ERGO Hestia Group is a pioneer of the most innovative solutions in the insurance sector. For nearly 30 years, it has remained a reliable and dependable partner offering the highest quality products and services. Every year, it provides protection to over 3 million individual customers and several hundred thousand companies and enterprises. The ERGO Hestia Group consists of two insurance companies: STU ERGO Hestia SA and STU na Życie ERGO Hestia SA. The Group companies offer insurance for individual customers in the area of property and life insurance, as well as for industry and small and medium-sized businesses. Our insurances are offered under 4 brands: ERGO Hestia, MTU, mtu24.pl and You Can Drive. Sopockie Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń ERGO Hestia was established in 1991. Thanks to its dynamic growth it has achieved the position of the largest insurance company among those created in the free market economy in Poland. The main shareholder of the ERGO Hestia Group companies is the international insurance concern ERGO Versicherungsgruppe AG, owned by the largest reinsurer, Munich Re. The President of the ERGO Hestia Group since its inception is Piotr Maria Śliwicki. About Billon: Billon has unlocked the potential of blockchain by creating a new, efficient and scalable distributed ledger technology (DLT) for business. We combined national currency transactions, document recording, and identity management in a single system. We have solved the obstacles preventing mass deployments of other blockchain protocols, and our technology already supports software solutions for banks, incentive and loyalty programs, micropayments, and RODO-compliant document and identity management. In doing so, we give businesses the necessary tools to digitally transform, take advantage of digital trends and make money transfers instant and intuitive, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy. Billon was founded in the UK in 2015 based on an earlier research project from Poland. Its growth has been supported by numerous R&D grants, including from the EU's Horizon 2020 framework programme Today it employs an international team of over 80 people in its offices in London and Warsaw. The company is licensed as an electronic money issuer by the FCA in the UK and by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) in Poland. In the implementation of its technology Billon works with leading business partners in the market, such as Credit Information Bureau in Poland, Raiffeisen Bank International in Austria or FIS in the United States. For more information, visit www.billongroup.com. Tags Billon Blockchain blockchain insurance distributed ledger dlt ergo hestia finance
How will bitcoin's exchange rate behave in a U.S.-China war?
The US election is virtually decided. In theory, Joe Biden has more electors behind him, so he will be sworn in at their convention as the new US president. The world has breathed a sigh of relief, as a large number of analysts believe that he will pursue a more peaceful US-China policy. But is war between the two superpowers really no longer a threat? And if it does happen, how will the Bitcoin exchange rate behave? Joe Biden wins the election in the USA. What does it mean? Joe Biden has the reputation and image of a nice, older gentleman. "The perfect vice president" - even his critics described him. Probably in private he is just like that. But soon he will be at the head of a superpower that has its interests all over the world. Today those interests are threatened especially in Asia, where the power of China is most keenly felt. But is it really up to the president to decide what will happen in US politics in the next four years? It is a mistake to think of any contemporary political leader of a country as an early medieval king whose country is his private property. Jacek Bartosiak, a Polish geopolitics expert, noted this during an interview on Radio Wnet. "The biggest politicians are just agents of big structural forces and their interests," - he said during the interview, which concerned the change of US policy if Biden wins the election (it took place before the election itself). Thus, Biden's victory does not rule out anything. What is more, today it is forgotten that it was during Barack Obama's term of office that the U.S. made the so-called pivot to the Pacific. Already then the Washington elite understood one thing: as a result of globalization China became too strong, while the U.S. started to lose a lot. Something had to be done about it. Donald Trump's actions were only a continuation of this type of thinking and acting, albeit in a more aggressive manner. Moreover, Biden himself - also during the Obama presidency - spoke of China's power as a great challenge for the US. Are preparations for war already underway? The aforementioned Bartosiak also mentioned during an interview he gave to the historian Piotr Zychowicz that "war is in the air. If someone suggests that it is just 'scaremongering' it is enough to listen to other politicians and experts. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, for example, wrote an article that was published in the prestigious American periodical devoted to international relations, Foreign Affairs, in which he described the risk of an armed conflict between the U.S. and China as "particularly high. He even feared that war would break out before the election itself. "Is Australia prepared for an armed conflict with the region?" - Paul Dibb, professor emeritus of strategic studies at the Australian National University, former deputy defence secretary and head of the defence intelligence agency, asked in The Australian. "The likelihood of a surprise attack is greater in an era of rising nationalism, territorial claims and increased armaments. Our territorial defenses must be better prepared for high-intensity conflict so that they are ready to contribute militarily outside our territory but in the region of engagement of our interests. This involves deploying our forces throughout the Indo-Pacific, including North Asia." - Dibb explained. The flashpoint of the war need not specifically be China's trade disputes with the US. The Middle Kingdom competes in the region with Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines over a disputed 3.5 million square kilometer portion of the South China Sea. It's not just about controlling flows. This is an area rich in fossil fuels. It is also home to a huge fishery. In addition, let's remember that Taiwan still maintains a political separation from mainland China. President Xi Jinping - now 67 years old - may dream that it is during his reign that the Middle Kingdom will finally be reunited. The U.S. will not be able to look on such actions passively. Finally, it is worth recalling that the fruit of rivalry - initially only economic - between the superpowers has almost always been war. It is enough to mention just the first, almost classic, examples: the Peloponnesian War, the Franco-German War of 1870, World Wars I and II. Even the Cold War itself was really a collection of minor armed conflicts involving "pawns" belonging to the USSR and the USA. Finally, it is worth adding a brief lesson from history. The president who won his re-election with promises to keep the US out of the war was Franklin D. Roosevelt. As we know today, it was ultimately during his presidency that the United States became involved in World War II (after the attack on Pearl Harbor, of course, but which the US elite could have avoided by apparently looking for a reason to send troops to the Pacific and then to Europe). Bitcoin in wartime Now let's move on to something rather important, looking from an investor's perspective. How would bitcoin behave if war broke out between the US and China?
Genesis block excavated 12 years ago
Today is the 12th anniversary of the digging of the first block (aka genesis block) in the BTC network. That's when - just over a decade ago - the Bitcoin project took off in earnest. What was the beginning of BTC? To be honest, it is difficult to fully recognize January 3, 2009 as the only start of BTC. The formation of the cryptocurrency was a process. Recall that before that, Satoshi Nakamoto (yes, we still don't know who he is!) actually announced his manifesto, in which he described the ideas behind Bitcoin. However, it was 12 years ago that the first block with the first Bitcoins was dug up. Let's take another look at the dates. As we already mentioned, on January 3, 2009, the network of the most popular cryptocurrency in years was launched. A little earlier, on October 31, 2008, Nakamoto published a document explaining how his digital currency would work. However, the above is still not enough (which does not diminish the value of today's anniversary). For it should be remembered that Bitcoin was the result of years of research by crypto advocates or even economists. Cryptocurrencies are actually the dream come true of many circles - economists from the Austrian School or cypherpunks. On the occasion of this holiday, we recommend you our article on the genesis of Bitcoin, which you can find here. Block Genesis According to the data we can get via blockchain.info, the first block with the number #0 was dug exactly on January 3, 2009. The first transaction in the history of cryptocurrencies took place at 18:15 (server time) and guaranteed a reward of 50 BTC. Today, that would yield more than $1.7 million. Back then, practically nothing. Bitcoin was not part of the trade anywhere. It is worth mentioning that Satoshi Nakamoto waited as long as 6 days for another dug block with the number #1. Currently, bitcoin is not only skyrocketing in price. Yesterday it broke through the $30,000 level on the chart, and right now it costs more than $34,000. That's not all. The cryptocurrency has become part of pop culture, with the BTC theme appearing in top TV series (e.g. "Altered Carbon" - unfortunately, it was not given how much 1 BTC costs in this bleak, dystopian future), books or songs (the cryptocurrency was rapped about, for example, on one of Eminem's recent albums). There was also a boom in BTC among institutions in 2020. Many companies began to invest their reserve funds in cryptocurrencies. It all started with MicroStrategy, but Michael Saylor's company was also followed by such giants as Square, Guggenheim Partners, and Ruffer Investments. PayPal, which introduced crypto services for its customers in the U.S., certainly also made its contribution. Tags bitcoin genesis blockchain btc nakamoto