Rules for Writing Software Tutorials

Rules for Writing Software Tutorials

It

Most software tutorials are tragically flawed. Tutorials often forget to mention some key detail, preventing readers from replicating the author’s process. Other times, the author brings in hidden assumptions that don’t match their readers’ expectations. The good news is that it’s easier than you think to write an exceptional software tutorial. You can stand out in a sea of mediocre guides by following a few simple rules. originally posted at

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Rules for Writing Software Tutorials \ stacker news

Most software tutorials are tragically flawed. Tutorials often forget to mention some key detail, preventing readers from replicating the author’...

Practical Byzantine fault tolerance algorithm for aggregating node preferences https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-82579-1.pdf Consensus algorithms play a critical role in maintaining the consistency of blockchain data, directly affecting the system’s security and stability, and are used to determine the binary consensus of whether proposals are correct. With the development of blockchain-related technologies, social choice issues such as Bitcoin scaling and main chain forks, as well as the proliferation of decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) applications based on blockchain technology, require consensus algorithms to reach consensus on a specific proposal among multiple proposals based on node preferences, thereby addressing the multi-value consensus problem. However, existing consensus algorithms, including Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT), do not support nodes expressing preferences. Instead, the proposal to reach consensus is directly decided by specific nodes, with other nodes merely verifying the proposal’s validity, which can easily result in monopolistic or dictatorial outcomes. In response, we proposed the Aggregating Preferences with Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (AP-PBFT) consensus algorithm, which allows nodes to express preferences for multiple proposals. AP-PBFT ensures the validity of consensus results through a consensus output protocol and incentivizes nodes to act honestly during the consensus process through an incentive mechanism. First, AP-PBFT leverages Verifiable Random Function to select both consensus nodes and a primary node from the candidates. The primary node gathers proposals, assembles them into a proposal package, and broadcasts it to other consensus nodes. The consensus nodes independently vote to express their preferences for different proposals in the package, execute the consensus output protocol to reach local consensus, and the primary node aggregates these results to form the global consensus. Once the global consensus is finalized, AP-PBFT evaluates node behavior based on the consensus output protocol, penalizes nodes that acted maliciously, and rewards those that adhered to the protocol. Additionally, nodes can interact and adopt different strategies while executing the consensus output protocol, which can influence the consensus outcome. Therefore, we established an evolutionary game model based on hypergraph to analyze these interactions. Theoretical analysis shows that the incentive mechanism in AP-PBFT effectively encourages nodes to honestly follow the consensus output protocol, ensuring that AP-PBFT satisfies the properties of consistency, validity, and termination. Finally, the simulation results demonstrate that the AP-PBFT algorithm possesses good scalability and the capability to handle dynamic changes in nodes, surpassing some mainstream consensus algorithms in terms of transaction throughput and consensus achievement time. Moreover, AP-PBFT can incentivize honest behavior among consensus nodes, thereby enhancing the reliability of consensus and strengthening the security of the network. originally posted at

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Practical Byzantine fault tolerance algorithm for aggregating node preferences \ stacker news

Consensus algorithms play a critical role in maintaining the consistency of blockchain data, directly affecting the system’s security and stabili...

Bitcoin's Sharia Legitimacy: Strength and Implications as a Financial Tool

Bitcoin's Sharia Legitimacy: Strength Analysis and Implications as a Financial Transaction Tool | Labibunnajah | Tasharruf: Journal Economics and Business of Islam

Bitcoin's Sharia Legitimacy: Strength Analysis and Implications as a Financial Transaction Tool

Abstract This study reconciles conflicting viewpoints on Bitcoin by offering a Shariah-based perspective. It utilizes contemporary interpretations of Quranic verses, fiqh principles, and hadith to demonstrate Bitcoin's potential as a currency. A qualitative approach, combined with normative analysis, interdisciplinary perspectives (economics and Islamic law), and a descriptive-comparative method based on David Ricardo's theory of comparative advantage, was employed to assess Bitcoin's legitimacy as a medium of exchange in Islamic economic contexts. The findings indicate that Bitcoin shares attributes with gold, such as scarcity, divisibility, mobility, and durability, making it a suitable store of value. While institutions like MUI and LBM NU East Java classify Bitcoin as haram due to ambiguity, harm, and speculation, this study contends that a correct understanding reveals Bitcoin's compliance with fiqh principles. Blockchain transparency reduces dharar (harm) and manipulation, offering an ethical alternative to fiat currency. Bitcoin's intrinsic worth aligns with Islamic financial principles, unlike fiat currency, which is prone to inflation and value depreciation. By understanding Bitcoin's foundations, consumers can minimize gharar (uncertainty), dharar, and speculation. Blockchain technology ensures transparency, prevents manipulation and abuse, and allows for price formation based on supply and demand, akin to traditional currencies. These attributes highlight Bitcoin's potential as a Sharia-compliant medium of exchange that addresses the limitations of fiat currency while providing inflation protection. Introduction In the age of globalization and digitalization, the need for efficient payment systems has spurred financial innovations, including credit cards and cashless societies. The emergence of cryptocurrency, particularly Bitcoin, represents a significant advancement in financial technology. Bitcoin stands out for its ease of use, decentralized system, and independence from intermediaries like banks. Powered by blockchain technology, Bitcoin is a digital currency without a physical form, relying on hashed data blocks for secure and transparent transaction validation. Since its inception in 2009, Bitcoin has experienced remarkable growth, attracting attention from investors, economists, and policymakers. By 2024, Bitcoin ranks ninth among the top ten global financial assets, trailing only gold in market capitalization. Its deflationary tendencies, divisibility, and resistance to centralized control position it as a potential alternative to fiat currencies. However, its adoption remains challenging, particularly in Islamic finance contexts. In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, concerns about Bitcoin's Sharia legitimacy are especially significant. Divergent legal interpretations, including fatwas from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and LBM NU East Java, raise concerns about gharar (uncertainty), dharar (damage), and speculative elements in Bitcoin transactions. These issues have created uncertainty among Indonesian Muslims regarding Bitcoin's permissibility as a financial tool. The development of Bitcoin has provoked significant debates within the Indonesian Muslim community, influencing economic, ethical, and religious perspectives. Economically, Bitcoin attracts younger investors and promotes financial inclusion for the unbanked, though its volatility raises concerns about risk-sharing in Islam. Religiously, fatwas declaring Bitcoin haram emphasize issues of gharar, dharar, and speculation, while proponents highlight blockchain's transparency and alignment with Islamic principles. Ethically, Bitcoin challenges perceptions of gambling-like activities while offering opportunities to promote riba-free and inclusive financial practices. Despite being recognized as a commodity in Indonesia, the lack of Islamic banking norms limits its adoption. Bitcoin's impact underscores the need for clear guidance that integrates Islamic principles with modern financial innovations. This study addresses these dissenting views by providing a Sharia-based perspective, utilizing interpretations of Quranic verses, fiqh principles, and hadith. It also examines Bitcoin’s comparative advantages over fiat currencies through David Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage, which emphasizes economic superiority through unique, hard-to-imitate attributes like innovation and efficiency. Bitcoin's decentralized structure, resistance to inflation, and potential to enhance financial inclusivity exemplify these attributes, making it a subject of significant interest. This study's novelty lies in its focus and interdisciplinary methodology. Previous research often concentrated on Bitcoin's technical aspects, risks, and market volatility, or critiqued its compliance with Sharia principles without offering practical solutions. In contrast, this research combines Islamic jurisprudence, economics, and blockchain technology to evaluate Bitcoin’s legitimacy. Focusing on Indonesia, it analyzes cultural, legal, and religious factors influencing Bitcoin adoption. It explores how blockchain technology can address Islamic finance challenges such as gharar and dharar while assessing Bitcoin’s potential as a Sharia-compliant, inflation-resistant medium of exchange. This study provides a practical Sharia framework for cryptocurrencies in the Indonesian context, contributing uniquely to the fields of Islamic and digital finance. originally posted at

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Bitcoin's Sharia Legitimacy: Strength and Implications as a Financial Tool \ stacker news

Abstract This study reconciles conflicting viewpoints on Bitcoin by offering a Shariah-based perspective. It utilizes contemporary interpretations ...

Influence of US Inflation Rate, Interest Rate, and Bitcoin Towards Gold Price

View of The Influence of United States’ Inflation Rate, Interest rate and Bitcoin Towards Gold Price

Unimas Review of Accounting and Finance (URAF) aims to provide a specialized forum for the publication of academic research on finance and accounti...

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of inflation rate and interest rate of The United States towards the gold’s price. Besides that, the movement of Bitcoin and gold has also been examined in this paper. The past 30 years of historical data of the inflation rate, interest rate and the gold’s price has been applied in this study to examine the effect of inflation and interest rate towards the gold price. Other than that, the past 30 months of the Bitcoin’s price has also been applied in the research. Through the research, it has found that the inflation rate and the interest rate have a negative relationship with the gold’s price. In addition, this paper has also shown that the movement of Bitcoin’s price and gold’s price is in a same direction. In other words, the movement of these assets is positively correlated in which when the Bitcoin price’s increase, the price of gold is also increase. Introduction Gold has been one of the best instruments to hedge against inflation. Besides that, the gold is considered as one of the most liquid assets. This is because people are believing that the price of the gold is relatively stable as compared to other assets such as the stocks and cryptocurrency. Back in the days, the United States had adopted a concept in which the United State Dollar (USD) is pegged with the gold. This concept is also known as the Gold Standard. The concept behind is assume that the value of a currency is fixed relatively to gold. However, this concept was abandoned by the U.S. in 1971 due to the U.S would like to control inflation and avoid foreign countries overloading the system by exchanging their dollars for gold. Today, there are many investors still choose gold as the preferable assets to invest because there confident on the dollar is not as high as before when the States is still adopting the gold standard. According to Winters (2022), he had shared the words from Jim Cramer the host for CNBC’s Mad Money and Investing Club. As outlined by Jim Cramer, due to its uniqueness as a commodity and its long history as a reliable medium of exchange, gold has a stable value. Hence, the gold market would also considered as one of the high volatile markets. From the aspect of the foreign currency (FOREX) market, gold is denoted as XAU in the FOREX market, and it is paired with the USD become the pairing called XAU/USD. The XAU/USD is represented the spot gold price in troy ounce digitally because any positionin the market is not trading the physical gold. In the trading of XAU/USD, it usually influenced by the inflation and interest rate in the U.S. Other than that, the relationship between the Bitcoin and XAU/USD is also compared in this research. Bitcoin isone of the largest market caps as compared to the others cryptocurrency. It usually been called as the digital gold due to its scarcity and the difficulties to obtain it is high. The study of the XAU/USD has remained relatively unpopular studied topics as compared to the stock market. This is due to the exposure of the XAU/USD as well as the FOREX market in Malaysia is relatively unpopular among the people. Other than that, there are restrictions for the Malaysians to trade in the FOREX market unless with the authorised dealers such as banks and licensed money changer. However, gold was one of the assets in which people prefer to purchase due to stability of price. Hence, studying the effect of the inflation rate and interest rate towards the XAU/USD is important so that it may reflects the effect caused to the overall gold market. Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, the Fed of the United States had announced the unlimited quantitative easing (QE) in order to stimulate the economics of the U.S. The QE is a monetary policy that lowering down the interest rate on the savings and loans to increase the economics activities in the nation. Hence, it has driven the price of the gold as well as the XAU/USD hikes. This is because the willingness of the people to take money to invest is relatively high as compared to save it in normal saving accounts. Recently, due to the unlimited QE and the conflict between the Russia and Ukraine, it has cause severe inflation in the U.S. Hence, the Fed has started to conduct a move called tapering to control the nation’s inflation. Tapering can be known as the action of contractionary monetary policy in which started to withdraw the monetary stimulus plan that been used to stimulate the economics. Therefore, the Fed has started to hike the interest in the country and causing most of the assets’ price such as stocks and gold as well as the rate of XAU/USD to fall. Up to November, the Fed has hiked the interest rate sixth times consecutively and it has hiked up to 75 basis point for the latest announcement. On the other hand, the so-called digital gold, Bitcoin has also gone to the same direction as the XAU/USD in this event. However, as compared to the XAU/USD, there are other factors that may also affect the price of Bitcoin such as the regulatory problems that has been unsolved until now. Other than that, the collapse of the exchange has also created panic sell on the digital assets. Hence, this study may also study the relationship of Bitcoin with the XAU/USD. In this research, the affection of the changes of the inflation rate and interest rate as well as the movement of Bitcoin towards the XAU/USD will be studied. However, the studied on the relationship between the chosen variables and the XAU/USD are limited. This is due to the data obtained might not provide an accurate result. originally posted at

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Influence of US Inflation Rate, Interest Rate, and Bitcoin Towards Gold Price \ stacker news

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of inflation rate and interest rate of The United States towards the gold’s pr...

6 AI-Related Security Trends to Watch in 2025 https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/6-ai-related-security-trends-watch-2025 # Generative Artificial Intelligence and Security: Key Trends and Concerns Most industry analysts expect organizations will accelerate efforts to harness generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and large language models (LLMs) in a variety of use cases over the next year. Typical examples include customer support, fraud detection, content creation, data analytics, knowledge management, and, increasingly, software development. A recent survey of 1,700 IT professionals conducted by Centient on behalf of OutSystems had 81% of respondents describing their organizations as currently using GenAI to assist with coding and software development. Nearly three-quarters (74%) plan on building 10 or more apps over the next 12 months using AI-powered development approaches. While such use cases promise to deliver significant efficiency and productivity gains for organizations, they also introduce new privacy, governance, and security risks. Here are six AI-related security issues that industry experts say IT and security leaders should pay attention to in the next 12 months. ## AI Coding Assistants Will Go Mainstream — and So Will Risks Use of AI-based coding assistants, such as GitHub Copilot, Amazon CodeWhisperer, and OpenAI Codex, will go from experimental and early adopter status to mainstream, especially among startup organizations. The touted upsides of such tools include improved developer productivity, automation of repetitive tasks, error reduction, and faster development times. However, as with all new technologies, there are some downsides as well. From a security standpoint these include auto-coding responses like vulnerable code, data exposure, and propagation of insecure coding practices. > "While AI-based code assistants undoubtedly offer strong benefits when it comes to auto-complete, code generation, re-use, and making coding more accessible to a non-engineering audience, it is not without risks," says Derek Holt, CEO of Digital.ai. The biggest is the fact that the AI models are only as good as the code they are trained on. Early users saw coding errors, security anti-patterns, and code sprawl while using AI coding assistants for development, Holt says. > "Enterprises users will continue to be required to scan for known vulnerabilities with [Dynamic Application Security Testing, or DAST; and Static Application Security Testing, or SAST] and harden code against reverse-engineering attempts to ensure negative impacts are limited and productivity gains are driving expect benefits." ## AI to Accelerate Adoption of xOps Practices As more organizations work to embed AI capabilities into their software, expect to see DevSecOps, DataOps, and ModelOps — or the practice of managing and monitoring AI models in production — converge into a broader, all-encompassing xOps management approach, Holt says. The push to AI-enabled software is increasingly blurring the lines between traditional declarative apps that follow predefined rules to achieve specific outcomes, and LLMs and GenAI apps that dynamically generate responses based on patterns learned from training data sets, Holt says. The trend will put new pressures on operations, support, and QA teams, and drive adoption of xOps, he notes. > "xOps is an emerging term that outlines the DevOps requirements when creating applications that leverage in-house or open source models trained on enterprise proprietary data," he says. > "This new approach recognizes that when delivering mobile or web applications that leverage AI models, there is a requirement to integrate and synchronize traditional DevSecOps processes with that of DataOps, MLOps, and ModelOps into an integrated end-to-end life cycle." Holt perceives this emerging set of best practices will become hyper-critical for companies to ensure quality, secure, and supportable AI-enhanced applications. ## Shadow AI: A Bigger Security Headache The easy availability of a wide and rapidly growing range of GenAI tools has fueled unauthorized use of the technologies at many organizations and spawned a new set of challenges for already overburdened security teams. One example is the rapidly proliferating — and often unmanaged — use of AI chatbots among workers for a variety of purposes. The trend has heightened concerns about the inadvertent exposure of sensitive data at many organizations. Security teams can expect to see a spike in the unsanctioned use of such tools in the coming year, predicts Nicole Carignan, vice president of strategic cyber AI at Darktrace. > "We will see an explosion of tools that use AI and generative AI within enterprises and on devices used by employees," leading to a rise in shadow AI, Carignan says. > "If unchecked, this raises serious questions and concerns about data loss prevention as well as compliance concerns as new regulations like the EU AI Act start to take effect," she says. Carignan expects that chief information officers (CIOs) and chief information security officers (CISOs) will come under increasing pressure to implement capabilities for detecting, tracking, and rooting out unsanctioned use of AI tools in their environment. ## AI Will Augment, Not Replace, Human Skills AI excels at processing massive volumes of threat data and identifying patterns in that data. But for some time at least, it remains at best an augmentation tool that is adept at handling repetitive tasks and enabling automation of basic threat detection functions. The most successful security programs over the next year will continue to be ones that combine AI's processing power with human creativity, according to Stephen Kowski, field CTO at SlashNext Email Security+. > "The key is achieving the right balance where AI handles high-volume routine detection while skilled analysts investigate novel attack patterns and determine strategic responses." ## Attackers Will Leverage AI to Exploit Open Source Vulns Venky Raju, field CTO at ColorTokens, expects threat actors will leverage AI tools to exploit vulnerabilities and automatically generate exploit code in open source software. > "Even closed source software is not immune, as AI-based fuzzing tools can identify vulnerabilities without access to the original source code. Such zero-day attacks are a significant concern for the cybersecurity community," Raju says. ## Verification, Human Oversight Will Be Critical Organizations will continue to find it hard to fully and implicitly trust AI to do the right thing. > "Trust in AI will remain a complex balance of benefits versus risks, as current research shows that eliminating bias and hallucinations may be counterproductive and impossible," SlashNext's Kowski says. The practical approach is to implement robust verification systems and maintain human oversight rather than seeking perfect trustworthiness, he says. originally posted at

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6 AI-Related Security Trends to Watch in 2025 \ stacker news

Generative Artificial Intelligence and Security: Key Trends and Concerns Most industry analysts expect organizations will accelerate efforts to har...

Hacking campaign compromised at least 16 Chrome browser extensions

Security Affairs

Hacking campaign compromised at least 16 Chrome browser extensions

Threat actors compromised at least 16 Chrome browser extensions leading to the exposure of data from over 600,000 users.

Threat actors compromised at least 16 Chrome browser extensions leading to the exposure of data from over 600,000 users. A supply chain attack compromised 16 Chrome browser extensions, exposing over 600,000 users. Threat actors targeted the publishers of the extensions on the Chrome Web Store via phishing messages, then once obtained access to their account inserted a malicious code into the code of the extensions. The malicious code allowed attackers to steal cookies and access tokens. One of the victims of this campaign is the cybersecurity firm Cyberhaven, on December 24 attackers published a malware-laced version of their Chrome extension. “On December 24, a phishing attack compromised a Cyberhaven employee’s credentials to the Google Chrome Web Store. The attacker used these credentials to publish a malicious version of our Chrome extension (version 24.10.4).” reads a post on the incident published by Cyberhaven. “Our security team detected this compromise at 11:54 PM UTC on December 25 and removed the malicious package within 60 minutes.” The phishing email, posing as Google Chrome Web Store Developer Support, warns the employee of the extension removal for policy violations. The message urges the recipient to accept the publishing policy. Once the recipient clicked on the email, the employee unknowingly authorized a malicious OAuth app via Google’s standard authorization flow, despite using MFA and Google Advanced Protection. “The attacker gained requisite permissions via the malicious application (“Privacy Policy Extension”) and uploaded a malicious Chrome extension to the Chrome Web Store. After the customary Chrome Web Store Security review process, the malicious extension was approved for publication.” reads the report published by Cyberhaven. “This malicious extension (24.10.4) was essentially based on a clean prior version of the official Cyberhaven Chrome extension. The attacker made a copy of the clean extension and added some malicious code to create a new malicious extension. This extension was uploaded to the Chrome webstore and replaced the clean official Cyberhaven Chrome extension. The malicious Chrome extension was now available and distributed to a portion of our customer base.” The attackers only compromised version 24.10.4 of the Cyberhaven Chrome extension. Only Chrome-based browsers that auto-updated between 1:32 AM UTC on December 25 and 2:50 AM UTC on December 26 were impacted. The malicious extension used two files: worker.js contacted a hardcoded C&C server to download configuration and executed HTTP calls, and content.js that collected user data from targeted websites and exfiltrated it to a malicious domain specified in the C&C payload. “Based on our initial research so far, this was a non-targeted attack, and part of a wider campaign, aimed at Facebook Ads users. We are working with our customers and an external third-party security response team to help us analyze and investigate further. We will post more updates as we have more findings.” concludes the report published by Cyberhaven. Researchers at security firm Secure Annex further investigated the attack and discovered that other Chrome browser extensions were compromised: - AI Assistant – ChatGPT and Gemini for Chrome - Bard AI Chat - GPT 4 Summary with OpenAI - Search Copilot AI Assistant for Chrome - TinaMInd AI Assistant - Wayin AI - VPNCity - Internxt VPN - Vindoz Flex Video Recorder - VidHelper Video Downloader - Bookmark Favicon Changer - Castorus - Uvoice - Reader Mode - Parrot Talks - Primus - Tackker – online keylogger tool - AI Shop Buddy - Sort by Oldest - Rewards Search Automator - ChatGPT Assistant – Smart Search - Keyboard History Recorder - Email Hunter - Visual Effects for Google Meet - Earny – Up to 20% Cash Back The researchers noticed that the extension “Earny” was last updated on April 5th, 2023 and has been compromised since then. originally posted at

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Hacking campaign compromised at least 16 Chrome browser extensions \ stacker news

Threat actors compromised at least 16 Chrome browser extensions leading to the exposure of data from over 600,000 users. A supply chain attack comp...

Here's Your Guide to The Must-See Astronomy Events of 2025

ScienceAlert

Here's Your Guide to The Must-See Astronomy Events of 2025

How about that eclipse in 2024? Certainly, the Great North American Eclipse of April 8th 2024 was one for the ages, instilling the eclipse-chasi...

| Date(s) | Event | Description | |-------------------|-------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | January 3 | **Quadrantid Meteor Shower** | Peaks with up to 120 meteors per hour; favorable viewing conditions expected. | | January 13-14 | **Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)** | Earth's shadow causes the Moon to appear reddish; visible from various regions. | | February 28 | **Planetary Parade** | All seven other planets align in Earth's sky; a rare visual spectacle. | | March | **Saturn's Rings Disappear** | Saturn's rings appear edge-on from Earth, making them seem to vanish; occurs every 13-16 years. | | March 13-14 | **Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)** | Second total lunar eclipse of the year; Moon appears reddish due to Earth's shadow. | | July | **Solar Maximum Peak** | Increased solar activity leads to more intense Northern Lights, potentially visible at lower latitudes. | | August 11-12 | **Venus and Jupiter Conjunction** | Venus and Jupiter appear very close in the night sky; visible to the naked eye. | | September 7-8 | **Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)** | Another opportunity to witness the Moon's reddish hue during Earth's shadow. | | October 7 | **Supermoon** | Full Moon appears larger and brighter; first of three supermoons in 2025. | | November 5 | **Supermoon** | Second supermoon; largest and brightest since 2019. | | December 4 | **Supermoon** | Final supermoon of the year; offers spectacular lunar views. | | December 14 | **Geminids Meteor Shower** | Annual meteor shower peaking with up to 160 meteors per hour; clear skies enhance viewing. | originally posted at

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Here's Your Guide to The Must-See Astronomy Events of 2025 \ stacker news

| Date(s) | Event | Description | |-------------------|-------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------...

Starting now

Vitalik Buterin donates $170K to Tornado Cash developers’ legal fund

Cointelegraph

Vitalik Buterin donates $170K to Tornado Cash developers’ legal fund

Vitalik Buterin donated 50 Ether toward a project to support the legal defense of two Tornado Cash developers: one convicted in the Netherlands, th...

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has made a significant contribution toward a legal defense fund for Tornado Cash developers Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev. According to a Dec. 31 X post from the Juicebox project Free Pertsev and Storm, Buterin donated 50 Ether (ETH) — roughly $170,000 at the time of publication — to Storm’s and Pertsev’s legal aid. Storm reported that the contribution was roughly 25% of the total $650,000 available to the Tornado Cash developer through JusticeDAO ahead of his trial. In 2022, Dutch authorities arrested and charged Pertsev for his involvement with the cryptocurrency mixing service. In May 2024, he was found guilty of money laundering and sentenced to more than five years in prison, though Pertsev will appeal the verdict. United States prosecutors later charged Storm and fellow developer Roman Semenov with money laundering, sanctions violations, and fraud related to their roles with Tornado Cash. Storm was given bail conditions ahead of his trial, scheduled to begin on April 14, while Semenov remained at large at the time of publication. Many of the criminal charges against the Tornado developers seemed to stem from the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control adding the mixer to its Specially Designated Nationals list in August 2022. US officials said at the time that bad actors, including North Korean hackers, had used Tornado Cash to launder more than $7 billion worth of crypto since 2019. The sanctions against the mixer and criminal charges against the developers have drawn outrage from many in the crypto industry. Buterin donated 100 ETH — roughly $240,000 at the time — to the Free Pertsev and Storm Juicebox in October, but GoFundMe shut down a similar fundraising effort in February. The US Treasury Department faces two lawsuits filed by crypto advocacy group Coin Center and a group of Tornado Cash users backed by Coinbase. An appellate court said in November that the Treasury had “overstepped” in sanctioning the crypto mixer’s immutable smart contracts, but the ruling did not appear to have affected the criminal case against Storm. originally posted at

Stacker News

Vitalik Buterin donates $170K to Tornado Cash developers’ legal fund \ stacker news

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has made a significant contribution toward a legal defense fund for Tornado Cash developers Roman Storm and Ale...

FBI Found Largest Cache of Homemade Explosives in Its History in Norfolk, VA https://archive.is/8FJX4 A Virginia man was arrested this month with what federal prosecutors described in court papers on Monday as the largest cache of “finished explosive devices” ever found in the F.B.I.’s history. The man, Brad Spafford, was taken into custody at a farm outside Norfolk on Dec. 17 on the basis of a single-count criminal complaint accusing him of illegally possessing an unregistered short-barrel rifle. When investigators searched his 20-acre property, in Isle of Wight County, they found in a detached garage more than 150 explosive devices — mostly pipe bombs, some of them labeled “lethal,” prosecutors said. They found more pipe bombs in a bedroom inside Mr. Spafford’s house, loosely stuffed in a backpack that bore a patch shaped like a hand grenade and a logo reading “#NoLivesMatter,” prosecutors said. No Lives Matter is a nihilistic, far-right ideology that largely exists on encrypted online messaging apps like Telegram. The movement’s adherents promote “targeted attacks, mass killings and criminal activity” and have “historically encouraged members to engage in self-harm and animal abuse,” according to a threat assessment released in August by the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. Prosecutors in Federal District Court in Norfolk filed the court papers describing Mr. Spafford’s explosives in an effort to keep him in custody as his case moves toward trial. According to the court papers, which were reported earlier by the website Court Watch, the investigation into Mr. Spafford began last year, after a neighbor reached out to the authorities. Mr. Spafford had lost three fingers on his right hand while working with a homemade explosive device, the neighbor said, and he was stockpiling weapons and homemade ammunition. The neighbor reported that Mr. Spafford had told him that he and his friends were “preparing for something” that he “would not be able to do alone,” the court papers said. The neighbor also told investigators that Mr. Spafford sometimes used photographs of President Biden for target practice at a local shooting range and believed that “political assassinations should be brought back.” After the attempt on President-elect Donald J. Trump’s life in Pennsylvania in July, the papers said, Mr. Spafford told his neighbor that he “hoped the shooter doesn’t miss Kamala,” an apparent reference to Vice President Kamala Harris. Mr. Spafford moved to his farm this fall, and the neighbor went to visit him there in October wearing a secret recording device, the papers said. Mr. Spafford told the neighbor that he had various types of explosives at the property and discussed fortifying it with “a 360-degree turret” in which he planned to mount a 50-caliber rifle, according to the papers. No Lives Matter is an offshoot of the broader “accelerationist” movement, which seeks to accelerate radical social change through sabotage and violence. Some scholars of far-right extremism believe it takes its name from a song entitled “No Lives Matter,” by the pro-Trump Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald. originally posted at

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FBI Found Largest Cache of Homemade Explosives in Its History in Norfolk, VA \ stacker news

A Virginia man was arrested this month with what federal prosecutors described in court papers on Monday as the largest cache of “finished explos...

WATCH: Michael Saylor’s Bitcoin $100K Party The moment Bitcoiners around the world have been waiting for is finally here: Bitcoin has hit the monumental $100,000 mark, and Michael Saylor is throwing the Party of the Century to celebrate! What started as a dream and a meme has now become a reality, as Michael Saylor, a legendary advocate for Bitcoin and Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy, is hosting the most epic New Year’s Eve celebration to mark this historic occasion. Bitcoin Magazine is thrilled to announce that we are streaming live from the event in Miami Beach, bringing the excitement of Saylor’s $100K Bitcoin party straight to your screens. From 7:00 PM EST, join us on the Bitcoin Magazine News Desk, hosted by Pete Rizzo. The Party has been hyped for years and is set to deliver on all fronts. Your favourite Bitcoiners and podcasters will attend, including the man of the hour, Michael Saylor, Preston Pysh, American Hodl, Peter McCormack, and other Bitcoin legends. Expect lively and fun discussions as Bitcoiners come together to ring in 2025. This exclusive live stream will give you front-row access to the celebration as we welcome a new year—and a new era for Bitcoin. Catch the Bitcoin Magazine News Desk live stream on X and YouTube starting today, December 31, 2024, at 7:00 PM EST. originally posted at

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WATCH: Michael Saylor’s Bitcoin $100K Party \ stacker news

The moment Bitcoiners around the world have been waiting for is finally here: Bitcoin has hit the monumental $100,000 mark, and Michael Saylor is t...

Do Kwon is in US custody after extradition battle

Cointelegraph

Do Kwon is in US custody after extradition battle

Do Kwon faces eight felony charges in the United States after more than a year of legal limbo and prison time in Montenegro.

The Terraform Labs co-founder was arrested in Montenegro in 2023 for using falsified travel documents as the courts determined whether he would go to the US or South Korea. Montenegrin authorities handed over Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon to United States law enforcement officers after a months-long fight over where or whether he would be extradited. In a Dec. 31 X post, Montenegro Prime Minister Milojko Spajić said Kwon was in US custody, suggesting that he would soon be traveling to the United States to face criminal charges. The handover happened four days after Montenegrin Justice Minister Bojan Božović approved the Terraform co-founder’s extradition to the US instead of accepting a petition from South Korea, where Kwon also faces charges and holds citizenship. “Our nation welcomes innovation and legitimate crypto, AI and other tech entrepreneurs — but we have zero tolerance for fraud,” said Prime Minister Spajić. “This extradition demonstrates our unwavering commitment to international justice and the rule of law.” Kwon was one of the individuals alleged to have been involved in the 2022 collapse of the Terra ecosystem, which likely contributed to a significant crypto market downturn the same year. Authorities in the US and South Korea filed charges against Kwon and some Terraform executives, but the co-founder’s whereabouts were largely unknown until he was arrested in Montenegro in 2023. After serving four months in prison for using falsified travel documents, Kwon was in legal limbo for more than a year as Montenegro’s courts considered whether to have him remain in the country or be extradited to the US or South Korea. Every time it appeared a court had reached a decision, Kwon’s legal team filed an appeal on different grounds, delaying potential extradition and forcing officials to revisit the matter. As part of a civil case brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Terraform and Kwon were found liable for fraud in April. Both agreed to pay roughly $4.5 billion in disgorgement, civil penalties and prejudgement interest. The US Justice Department charged Kwon with eight felony counts in March 2023, including commodities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to engage in market manipulation. It’s unclear when he could appear in a courtroom after his extradition from Montenegro. originally posted at

Stacker News

Do Kwon is in US custody after extradition battle \ stacker news

The Terraform Labs co-founder was arrested in Montenegro in 2023 for using falsified travel documents as the courts determined whether he would go ...

Tangem wallet collects and exposes users seed phrase via email glitch

Cointelegraph

Tangem fixes bug exposing user seed phrases via email

Tangem said it has fixed a bug leaking private keys via email, prompting user backlash.

Cryptocurrency wallet provider Tangem has fixed a critical security vulnerability on its mobile app that collected certain users’ private keys via emails. The fix came after Redditors repeatedly called out Tangem for putting investors’ funds at risk by exposing their private keys on email accounts and to Tangem employees. On Dec. 29, a Reddit discussion on Tangem’s operations gained traction, which accused the wallet provider of stealing private keys using emails. The Redditor, u/areklanga, further accused Tangem of not providing “any sensible reaction” when the issue was pointed out previously. Tangem acknowledged the issue on Dec. 30 and stated the incident arose from a bug in the mobile app’s log processing, which had now been “fully resolved.” Tangem also provided a breakdown of the situation. Tangem’s official website, which logs all version updates of its mobile application, did not mention the details about the Dec. 30 update. Tangem also confirmed in its Reddit response that “all logs and attachments sent to its support team were permanently deleted, ensuring no residual data remains.” While Tangem pushed out an update on Dec. 30 to prevent further leaks of seed phrases, the crypto community members called out the wallet provider’s muted response. Tangem did not respond to Cointelegraph’s request for comment. Tangem has not made any official announcements on its official social media channels, Twitter, Discord, or Telegram, as of Dec. 31. However, all Tangem users are advised to immediately update their mobile applications to avoid seed phrase leaks. originally posted at

Stacker News

Tangem wallet collects and exposes users seed phrase via email glitch \ stacker news

Cryptocurrency wallet provider Tangem has fixed a critical security vulnerability on its mobile app that collected certain users’ private keys vi...