Crypto exchange Gate.io has removed web analytics tool StatCounter from their website following a breach report by cybersecurity firm ESET, according to an official blog post published today, Nov. 7. The company has reported that they immediately removed StatCounter's traffic stats service after receiving a security notice by ESET about suspicious behavior. Gate.io claimed they subsequently scanned the website with 56 antivirus products, and “no one reported any suspicious behavior at that time.” However, the firm still changed its traffic tracker, also reporting that “users’ funds are safe.” On Nov. 6, Slovakia-based cybersecurity firm ESET published a security report claiming …

Cybersecurity experts say they have found potentially incriminating evidence against the hackers of Japanese crypto exchange Zaif, according to an official statement today, Nov. 5. The experts are from Japan Digital Design Co. (JDD), a subsidiary of bank holding giant Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). As previously reported, as a result of a security breach on the Zaif exchange in mid-September, hackers succeeded in stealing 6.7 billion yen (about $59 million at press time) worth of crypto assets belonging to both users and to the exchange itself. Specifically the compromised funds consisted of 5,966 bitcoins (BTC), in addition to Bitcoin …

How can I be sure an exchange is telling the truth? Actions matter more than words – so take a look at what they have been doing to protect themselves from hacks and keep their platforms secure. Investment in fraud analytics matters. When exchanges spend money on trying to ensure their systems are robust, it helps to protect you: the user. Many platforms regularly submit themselves to security audits by independent parties, who then publish their findings and disclose the vulnerabilities they have found. Reputable exchanges will publish the outcome of these audits in full – enabling you to see …

Blockchain-based systems’ decentralized nature makes for their formidable resiliency to the outsiders’ attempts to infiltrate or take down such networks. Governments, law enforcement agencies and even military leadership around the world seem to be embracing a more blockchain-friendly way of thinking as they realize that the power of distributed ledger technology (DLT) could be harnessed to advance their goals in numerous ways. This generates increased demand for security-enhancing solutions, which pushes the private sector to come up with such products at an ever-increasing pace. The latest use case – Israel’s securities regulator introducing a blockchain-powered messaging system in order to …

2017 was a big year for cryptojacking. It increased by 8,500 percent, according to figures published by Symantec in March. And it would seem that 2018 has so far been an even bigger year for mining malware, as the Cyber Threat Alliance September report revealed that, beginning on Jan. 1, cryptojacking still had room to increase by a further 500 percent. However, beneath this simple outline of growth, there is a bigger, more complicated picture. Despite reports from some quarters showing that mining malware detections increased in the first two quarters of 2018, other reports suggest that they have in …

South and North Korea may be separated by a border that's only 2.5 miles wide, but the two nations couldn't possibly be more different, at least when it comes to crypto. South Korea has emerged over the past few years as one of the world's major crypto-trading centers, with the BTC-KRW (Korean won) market being the fourth biggest among national fiat currencies. By contrast, most North Koreans have almost zero knowledge of cryptocurrencies, even though their government has been engaging in Bitcoin mining and the hacking of crypto exchanges in a bid to secure an alternative revenue stream. As the …

The government of Bahrain has stressed the importance of blockchain technology for the country’s economy while urging cybersecurity vigilance, local media outlet News of Bahrain reported Tuesday, September 4. As part of an address to audiences at the country’s SmartSec Cyber Security and Blockchain Conference 2018, Abdulhussain Mirza, Bahrain’s minister of electricity and water affairs, appeared to confirm the government’s commitment to fostering blockchain. “Technologies such as blockchain take us a huge step forward in finding a secure way to facilitate transactions,” Mirza said, adding: “Blockchain’s ability to protect user’s data is a true mark of progress, especially due to …

Iran-based malware that demands a digital ransom in cryptocurrencies is on the rise and will further escalate in the present geopolitical climate, according to a report published by global management consulting firm Accenture on August 7. After two years of analysis, Accenture Security iDefense predicts that emerging trends in the Iranian cyber threat landscape will intensify as the country is forced into a defensive and economically straitened position in the wake of the U.S. exit from the Obama-era Iran nuclear accord this spring. With the US set to imminently to reimpose tough economic sanctions, Accenture has warned that the ransomware …

An Ethereum blockchain-powered platform Buglab aims to strengthen information security by transforming the process of finding vulnerabilities into challenges — or “contests” — for certified cybersecurity testers. By setting time limits for these experts to find vulnerabilities, they will then be rewarded for their cumulative discoveries. Buglab also plans to secure cryptocurrency exchanges, by hosting the testings with a reward pool of $2 million. The company says that their methods can help overcome the current problems of traditional security testing: cost inefficiency, lack of resources and irrelevance in reporting. Clients would benefit as several cybersecurity researchers are assigned to the …

According to an expert at the Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point Software Technologies (CHKP), crypto-related crimes would exceed the number of all other cyberattacks in 2018, the Times Of Israel reports June 22. The expert defined “cryptocurrency-related cyberattacks” as any form of cybercrime that involves crypto, including scams and hacks. Speaking on a panel at the “Blockchain, The New Digital Age” event at Tel Aviv University, CHKP expert Lotem Finkelsteen said that illegal activity in the initial coin offering (ICO) market is the main obstacle to the development of blockchain technology. “Not a day goes by without our hearing about …

A company has launched a new blockchain-powered identity verification app to help users avoid online fraud during internet transactions. Blockpass also aims to counter the repetitive task of constantly entering proof of identity across different platforms, such as new bank accounts and travel document applications. The idea of the project is to allow customers to store their data via the blockchain-powered app, cutting out the time consuming manual compliance procedures. After initially submitting their personal information, customers’ identity can be verified by “trusted compliance platforms.” An “anonymous cryptographic code” representing their data will then appear on the blockchain, which will …

OmiseGo, the e-wallet platform created by Omise, is set to launch its Airdrop in the last quarter of 2017. Omise released an announcement for an automatic airdrop of tokens beginning on Monday, Sept. 4. OmiseGo Airdop excitement opened up phishing opportunity The Airdrop is said to take a week before it finishes, or may take a little more time depending on the Ethereum status and bulk of traffic. A 0.1 minimum threshold is set to be received by individuals, the said threshold can be more, however, and shall be proportionate to their Ethereum shares. The official statement from OmiseGo verified …