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Mostrando entradas de enero, 2019

New Malware Attacks Hold ASIC Miners to Ransom

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By Jamie Redman News.Bitcoin.com According to reports from cybersecurity researchers, there’s a new ransomware virus on the loose that’s targeting bitcoin miners. A file locking program called H-Ant has allegedly infected certain Antminer models in China and if the ransom is not paid the software aims to destroy the infected machine. New Ransomware Called H-Ant Attacks Mining Rig Operators in China Ransomware creators have found a new target to attack in the form of bitcoin mining operations. Unlike most traditional ransom attacks, where victims have to obtain coins in order to pay the ransom, victims of the H-Ant ransomware have cryptocurrencies on hand to pay the malicious attackers. The H-Ant ransomware that specifically targets certain Antminer brand rigs was first discovered by cybersecurity experts back in August 2018 but the malware did not become prevalent until this month. H-Ant can attack an S9 model, T9, and possibly even L3 Antminer brand litecoin miners. There have a

United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia Collaborate on New Cryptocurrency

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By Adrian Zmudzinski The United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) and Saudi Arabia have announced an agreement to cooperate on the creation of a cryptocurrency , UAE official news agency Emirate News Agency reports on Jan. 19. According to the report, the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council has held a meeting in UAE capital Abu Dhabi, with 16 members in total from both countries, in order to discuss the join initiatives in the Strategy of Resolve. The Strategy of Resolve is comprised of seven initiatives, including civil aviation, financial awareness youth training, and the development of a cross-border digital currency. According to the article, the cryptocurrency “will be strictly targeted for banks at an experimental phase with the aim of better understanding the implications of blockchain technology and facilitating cross-border payments.” The joint cryptocurrency project will also research the effect of a central currency on financial po

Brazilian Government will open a “black box” into cryptocurrency projects

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By Moris Beracha .- Due to the steep fall in the prices of the world’s main cryptocurrencies and the implementation of a strong anti-corruption plan, the administration of Jair Bolsonaro, in office since January 1, 2019, has decided to open a black box of cryptocurrency projects that are being developed in the southern giant. Although there is no public stance on cryptocurrencies, officials of the new Brazilian cabinet have already made decisions in this regard. According to some media in Rio, the Brazilian Minister of Women, Family and Human Rights, Damares Alves, suspended a contract for the development of a project that includes the creation of cryptocurrency for indigenous peoples. Through the agreement, the National Indian Foundation (Funai) of Brazil granted a budget of 44 million reais (11.67 million dollars) to Universidad Ferderal Fluiminense (UFF) for the development of the project. The aforementioned plan included, among other actions, the

Latin America Cryptocurrency Adoption Could Blast Prices Higher

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By Nicholas Say  Latin America (LatAm) has a complex monetary history. Today it represents one of the biggest potential markets for cryptos. Venezuela made headlines when it became the first major nation to introduce a sovereign crypto, though the Venezuelan Petro probably isn’t going to be used for much anytime soon. The reason why the Petro is a non-starter is the same reason why LatAm crypto use is likely to rise. LatAm governments are notoriously corrupt and have a long history of abusing their national financial systems. Today there is more monetary trouble brewing in LatAm. Venezuela introduced the Petro as a part of a Remonetisation, and there is rampant inflation across LatAm especially in Argentina. Cryptos offer people everywhere an option when it comes to how they make payments and store value. Cryptos Make Sense in Latin America Most of the countries in LatAm already have two financial systems. The state financial system is difficult to use, fi

JP Morgan-Backed Firm Partners with Blockchain Startup Owned By Former Deloitte Exec

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By Helen Partz JP Morgan -backed digital services firm Smartrac has partnered with SUKU Ecosystem, a blockchain startup owned by former Deloitte exec Eric Piscini, according to a tweet on Tuesday, Jan. 22. SUKU, which is parented by another Piscini-owned blockchain firm Citizen Reserve, will provide its platform to integrate with Smartrac’s supply chain . Smartrac is a radio-frequency identification (RFID) inlay manufacturer. Based on the public Ethereum ( ETH ) blockchain, Citizens Reserve’s platform is operating its own cryptocurrency , ZERV, which was developed on an ERC20 token . Piscini, CEO at both SUKU and Citizen, said that the new partnership aims to resolve major problems related to supply chain digitization. Per Piscini the new blockchain integration will improve tracking, security, and transparency across the supply chain. Dinesh Dhamija, CTO of Citizens Reserve, said : “The combination of Smartrac’s digital enablement capabilities along wi

LSE's technology to power Asian cryptocurrency platform

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(Reuters) - London Stock Exchange Group ( LSE.L ) said on Tuesday Hong Kong-based AAX would use its technology for cryptocurrency trading, allowing the British exchange operator enter a nascent yet highly speculative industry.  The AAX exchange, which is backed by Atom Group, a fintech firm focused on blockchain technology and emerging digital assets, will use LSE’s Millennium Exchange matching system, LSE said in a statement.  The deal, however, comes at a time when cryptocurrency exchanges in Asia face scrutiny and policymakers have warned about the risks of speculative investments in cryptocurrencies.  Online platforms where virtual currencies such as bitcoin can be bought and sold by individuals operate with lower safeguards than traditional financial markets and are vulnerable to market manipulation.  Cryptocurrency exchanges and traders in Asia are also struggling to insure themselves against the risk of hacks and theft, a factor they claim is de

This is how crypto legislation will affect SMME's

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By Gabriella Steyn CAPE TOWN – On Wednesday, The SA Reserve Bank (Sarb) published its views on regulating cryptocurrency through a consultation paper in the country.  The document offers recommendations for policy proposals to industry participants and gives an overview of the perceived risks and benefits associated with crypto-assets which it has made open to comment from the public until February 15, 2019. Business Report spoke to industry players to understand how this would affect businesses in South Africa.  Jacques Sibomana, chief operating officer for Kuba said: "We have seen the rise in cryptocurrency platforms and traders with a majority of platforms come from not so trusted place, I believe that this white paper and the Sarb regulation would be great for early adopters as more safety is introduced in the space." "For the SMMEs especially those that are operating in a cash-based environment, it will be great to see Sarb in

South Africa’s Central Bank Proposes Rules for Crypto Companies

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By Yogita Khatri Crypto exchanges and wallet providers would have to register with regulators under rules proposed by South Africa’s central bank. In a consultation paper published Wednesday, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) said that regulatory action on crypto assets needs to be prioritized to protect consumers and investors, stating that consumers “are left vulnerable as sellers of crypto assets are not regulated.” Discussing the possible regulatory approaches that could be taken, and citing the “reputational risk” that is faced if mistakes are made, the central bank proposes walking a middle line between doing nothing and stringent regulation or a ban – a level of oversight it describes as “limited regulation.” “At this proposed level, an official body places specific requirements on providers of certain services in respect of crypto assets, without setting predefined conditions for formal authorisation to provide crypto assets-related product

Ethereum Classic 51% Attackers Allegedly Returned $100,000 to Crypto Exchange

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ETC Wallpaper - Ethereum Classic Cryptocurrency By Adrian Zmudzinski | Cointelegraph     The Ethereum Classic 51 percent attacker has reportedly returned $100,000 to cryptocurrency exchange Gate.io, a post on the official exchange’s blog reports on Jan. 12. The company further noted that they tried contacting the attacker but didn’t get any reply until now, and that they do not know the reason why the funds have been returned. The exchange declared: “If the attacker didn't run it for profit, he might be a white hacker who wanted to remind people the risks in blockchain consensus and hashing power security.” A white hat hacker is a hacker with a strong professional ethic who uses his hacking abilities for good and not for personal gain. The jargon file , a staple of hacker culture, further explains: “The term white hat [stands] for an ally or friendly security specialist.” On Jan. 9, Gate.io published their analysis of the 51 percent attack, finding

Denmark’s Tax Agency Seals Authority to Collect Data from Three Crypto Exchanges

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By Marie Huillet    Denmark’s Tax Authority has been authorized by the country’s Tax Council to obtain information regarding all trades of cryptocurrencies across three domestic crypto exchanges . An official announcement published on the agency’s website reported this development on Jan. 14. The authorization means that three unspecified Danish crypto exchanges now have legal disclosure obligations to hand over identity information that includes names, addresses and personal tax numbers, as well as details of all crypto transactions made on their platforms between Jan. 1 2016 to Dec. 31 2018. The Tax Authority has said it will use the information to ensure that citizens who have traded in crypto have duly paid the correct tax. Karin Bergen, a director at the agency, is quoted as saying that its fresh mandate will give it completely new opportunities in relation to its control in the cryptocurrency sector.   Any information pertaining to foreign citizen

Crypto Raffles and rewards become popular on the Internet

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By Moris Beracha .- A significant number of companies engaged in apps development are undertaking crypto raffles among all those users who try and get some kind of error in their digital products. This kind of lottery consists of completing small tasks such as captchas or clicking a button to claim free coins every hour without any investment, because it is just about spending time on the platforms and watching ads and completing the tasks. The adult entertainment industry is one of the most emblematic sectors that rewards its customers and users in cryptocurrencies. Currently, a large number of micro earning websites pay you in Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency every couple of minutes. Eventually, you can get enough tokens to charge and get a small profit on the wallet or digital wallet. Ripple has also decided to raffle or give away millions of its cryptocurrencies also known by the acronym XRP, but the aforementioned company aims to achieve the u

Venezuelan Government is selling its Petro cryptocurrency

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By Moris Beracha .-  In spite of the financial sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union and other countries of the world on the government of Venezuela, the president of the Latin American country, Nicolás Maduro, is seeking to find resources through the cryptocurrency Petro. It is important to mention that this token, which is backed by certified oil reserves and precious metals lacks international confidence, which is fundamental for obtaining economic benefits. Despite the complicated scenario, the so-called “Bolivarian and revolutionary” government announced that from October 29, 2018, Venezuelans or any citizen in the world will be able to buy the Petro with convertible currencies such as the dollar, the yuan or the euro and with bitcoin, Ethereum, Nem, among others. In this sense, the vice president for the economic area, Tarek El Aissami, said in a press conference that whoever wants to buy petros with other cryptocurrencies,

Users can earn cryptocurrencies through their Smartphone

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By Moris Beracha .- Many people who are not familiar with the technology and the world of cryptocurrencies can believe it is very expensive to acquire a token; however, mechanisms such as mobile mining can help you obtain benefits through smartphones. Users of computers with Android operating systems can download mining applications from their store called Google Play, which simply work with leaving the mobile device on and connected to a Wi-Fi network. Some of these apps, which are usually free, can fulfill their function perfectly, being able to mine cryptocurrencies from a cell phone, but it is very important to verify very well who is the programmer of the app that will be installed, since many scammers are infecting with malwares, some of these programs and the economic benefits can shift to another side. For iPhone and iPad users, unfortunately there is bad news, because there are virtually no applications that help exploit cryptocurrencies sinc