Internet Security

5 Ways to spot a phishing attack

How to spot a phishing attack is increasing important as a phishing attack is one of the most used techniques…

How to spot a phishing attack is increasing important as a phishing attack is one of the most used techniques by malicious parties and information thieves in order to retrieve critical personal information from unaware users on the internet. These attacks are made through emails or websites designed to deceive the user and convince them that the email or website comes from a legit source.

The objective of a phishing attack is to make the user click a link, open a document, install a malicious program or give away their personal information (such as passwords or online banking data), and many people fall under these schemes because they don’t know how to identify false websites or emails. Keep reading to find five ways to spot a phishing attack. To prevent the malicious program outcome from phishing attacks check out our article – top 5 antivirus programs for 2018.

Check the URL at all times

If you’ve received an email that seems wrong, or are being asked for sensitive information, always check the URLs. First of all, make sure you’re on a secure, HTTPS connection: your web browser should tell you this. Also, check if the URL of the website you’re currently in (or any URL you receive through email) is from whoever tells you it is: for example, www.paypal.com is PayPal’s website URL, but if you are linked to wwwpaypal.com, that’s not a good sign.

Check for poorly written text

Another common characteristic of phishing attacks is that their messages are poorly written. Be wary of a seemingly official website with poor grammar, incoherent sentences, lack of punctuation sign and lack of legal notices. Most of the time, reputable websites and sources have faultless text and messages on their websites and emails, while phishers fail to copy these texts and write the messages themselves.

Be wary if they ask for personal information

A golden rule to recognize that something’s not right is that you are being asked for personal information. There’s no point on giving somebody else your password if you’re not signing into a website or actively using their services, and the same can be said of your credit card private information. Never send this kind of sensitive information through email if you’re being asked for it, and verify that you’re actually on the website you think you are before trying to log in.

Don’t fall for actions you didn’t start

You might have seen an ad or received an email telling you that you have “won the lottery” or “earned a free product”. This might sound attractive, but it’s actually a widely popular phishing method. The key to avoiding falling for this kind of scam is to know not to trust any information that tells you you’ve “won” or achieved something you didn’t even do.

Confirm the identity if you suspect something’s not right

Finally, if you receive a suspicious message from someone you trust, like a family member or workmate, confirm with them if they actually sent it: it’s possible that they were a victim of identity theft, or a phishing attack, and malicious parties are using their email address and contacts to obtain more information.

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Internet Security

Oregon passes bill to establish legal control standards for digital assets

Key Takeaways Oregon passed Senate Bill 167 to update commercial laws and include digital assets in the UCC. The new law allows digital assets to be used as collateral and recognizes electronic records and signatures. Share this article Oregon has enacted Senate Bill 167, updating the state’s commercial laws to incorporate digital assets into the

Key Takeaways

  • Oregon passed Senate Bill 167 to update commercial laws and include digital assets in the UCC.
  • The new law allows digital assets to be used as collateral and recognizes electronic records and signatures.

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Oregon has enacted Senate Bill 167, updating the state’s commercial laws to incorporate digital assets into the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC).

The legislation, signed by Governor Tina Kotek on May 7, introduces UCC Article 12, which creates a legal framework for digital assets including crypto assets, tokenized records, and electronic money.

The bill amends Article 9 to allow digital assets to be used as collateral in secured transactions. It also updates several UCC articles to recognize electronic records, signatures, and hybrid transactions to support digital commerce.

The new law includes transitional provisions that maintain the validity of transactions made before the act’s effective date and provides a one-year period for existing security interests to comply with the new regulations.

Before these changes, there was legal uncertainty about how digital assets fit into existing commercial laws, especially when used as collateral or transferred between parties. The UCC amendments clarify how rights in these assets can be legally controlled, perfected, and enforced.

Apart from SB 167, House Bill 2071 is another crypto-related bill introduced in Oregon.

This proposed legislation focuses on blockchain and digital asset rights. It is aimed at protecting and promoting the use of Bitcoin and other digital assets in the state by limiting regulatory barriers and clarifying the legal framework for blockchain-based activities.

Some of the highlights of the bill include a prohibition on state and local governments from restricting or impairing a person’s ability to accept digital assets as payment for lawful goods and services, as well as the right to conduct peer-to-peer transactions via blockchain or digital asset networks.

The bill is still in the early stages of the legislative process and has not yet advanced to a vote in either the House or the Senate.

Unlike most US states, Oregon lawmakers have not proposed any bill to create a state Bitcoin reserve as of now.

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Internet Security

White House rejects parts of Trump advisers’ sovereign wealth fund proposal

Key Takeaways The White House has rejected parts of a sovereign wealth fund proposal created by Trump’s advisers. The details of the sovereign wealth fund are still under debate with no final decisions announced yet. Share this article The White House has opposed certain elements of a sovereign wealth fund proposal developed by Treasury Secretary

Key Takeaways

  • The White House has rejected parts of a sovereign wealth fund proposal created by Trump’s advisers.
  • The details of the sovereign wealth fund are still under debate with no final decisions announced yet.

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The White House has opposed certain elements of a sovereign wealth fund proposal developed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at President Trump’s request, according to a new report from CBS News.

The plan, reportedly delivered by early May, follows Trump’s February executive order directing the Treasury and Commerce departments to develop a framework for a US sovereign wealth fund within 90 days.

The order fueled speculation that the fund might be used to acquire Bitcoin on behalf of the US government.

However, at the time, Bessent and Lutnick said that the fund would indeed focus on warrants, equity, and other non-crypto investments. Still, David Sacks, Trump’s crypto czar, indicated that Bitcoin could be included in the fund’s portfolio.

That no longer appears to be the case after Trump signed a separate executive order establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve and a digital asset stockpile on March 6, which suggests a standalone approach to crypto holdings.

There were also rumors that the fund might be financed through tariffs and other revenue sources despite ongoing budget deficits. But Lutnick later clarified that tariffs would not be used to support the sovereign wealth fund.

According to the CBS News report, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said the Treasury and Commerce Departments have developed plans in response to Trump’s directive, but no final decisions have been made.

The administration, Desai added, continues to view the initiative as part of its broader effort to safeguard national and economic security.

Details of the fund’s structure and purpose remain under discussion, with no formal announcement expected in the near term.

Sources say Trump has not yet decided how the fund’s proceeds would be used, though he has previously floated the idea of it taking a stake in TikTok, which faces a potential US ban unless ByteDance divests.

Regarding the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the Digital Asset Stockpile, Bessent and Lutnick are also tasked with outlining operational guidelines, custody frameworks, and acquisition strategies. These plans are expected to remain separate from the sovereign wealth fund initiative and are designed to be budget-neutral.

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Internet Security

Crypto Security Breach at Lido DAO Triggers Governance Response

TLDR Lido DAO started an emergency vote to rotate a compromised Chorus One oracle The exploit drained ETH balance and likely resulted from a hot wallet private key leak The issue is restricted to one oracle and is not system-wide Cybersecurity remains a critical issue for cryptocurrency and DeFi Over $2 billion in crypto was

TLDR Lido DAO started an emergency vote to rotate a compromised Chorus One oracle The exploit drained ETH balance and likely resulted from a hot wallet private key leak The issue is restricted to one oracle and is not system-wide Cybersecurity remains a critical issue for cryptocurrency and DeFi Over $2 billion in crypto was […]
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Internet Security

CZ Shares Security Warning After Ledger Discord Hack Exposes User Data

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder and former CEO of Binance, shared a security warning after receiving a message regarding a hack of Ledger’s Discord admin account, where a scammer falsely claimed a security flaw and urged users to enter their recovery phrases on a phishing site. Zhao highlighted two critical lessons: the necessity of never sharing

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder and former CEO of Binance, shared a security warning after receiving a message regarding a hack of Ledger’s Discord admin account, where a scammer falsely claimed a security flaw and urged users to enter their recovery phrases on a phishing site. Zhao highlighted two critical lessons: the necessity of never sharing [……
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