Monthly Archives: February 2017

First Amendment: ‘A shameful day’ – hays Post

Posted: February 7, 2017 at 7:53 am

Charles C. Haynes is director of the Religious Freedom Center of the Newseum Institute.

On Jan. 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, President Donald Trump issued an executive order temporarily halting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, suspending the refugee program and permanently imposing a religious test for refugees going forward.

Jen Smyers of Church World Service spoke for many people of faith working on behalf of refugees when she called Jan. 27 a shameful day in the history of the United States.

Numerous national security experts and diplomats including more than 1,000 State Department officials have also spoken out, warning that the order is wrongheaded and dangerous. The optics of an American policy that appears to target Muslims seriously tarnishes the reputation of the U.S. in Muslim-majority countries and throughout the world.

The initial chaos and confusion surrounding the rollout is a harbinger of the damage to come from alienating Muslims worldwide, empowering radicals, and abandoning refugees to suffer in camps. Far from making us safer, the executive order is widely viewed as a direct threat to our national security and an assault on American values.

Of all the controversial provisions of the order, none is more problematic and damaging than the religious test that gives priority to refugees fleeing religious persecution if, and only if, they are a religious minority in their country of origin. The intent is clear: Open the door to Christians from Muslim-majority countries while doing everything possible to keep Muslims out.

Although the order does not explicitly mention Muslims and administration officials insist it is not a Muslim ban we know the motive behind the order from Trumps own campaign promise to mandate the complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.

Facing fierce backlash last summer, Trump retooled the Muslim ban to make it more palatable, but he did not retreat from his intention to keep Muslims out. Asked by NBC News in July if he was backing away from his Muslim ban, Trump answered:

I dont actually think its a rollback. In fact, you could say its an expansion People were so upset when I used the word Muslim. Oh, you cant use the word Muslim. Remember this. And Im OK with that, because Im talking territory instead of Muslim.

Now, six months later, Trumps Muslim ban under another guise is the official policy of the United States government.

From a human rights perspective, the most disturbing parts of the executive order bar refugees for four months, cut the number allowed in by 60,000, impose a religious test, and freeze indefinitely the refugee resettlement of Syrians. Taken together, these policies add up to an inhumane, immoral and woefully inadequate response to the greatest humanitarian crisis since World War II.

Contradictions and ironies abound. Trump recently told Christian Broadcast News that he wanted to help Syrian Christians, whom he claimed (without citing evidence) were deliberately kept out while Syrian Muslim refugees were let in under the last administration. But his executive order bars all refugees from Syria indefinitely meaning that Christians facing genocide in Syria will have no haven in America.

Last year the U.S. accepted a small number of Syrians (10,000 as of August 2016) out of the nearly 5 million Syrian refugees. After Trumps order, the number will be zero. Once the four-month ban on refugees from other countries is lifted, the number of projected refugees will be cut almost in half and those seeking entry will face a religious test.

Beyond humanitarian concerns, I am convinced that Trumps order is also unconstitutional. The Establishment clause of the First Amendment prohibits government from targeting Muslims for exclusion and favoring Christians for admission; in short, prioritizing some religious groups over others. Lawsuits have already been filed challenging Trump on First Amendment and other constitutional grounds.

If strengthening national security is the goal, keeping out refugees Muslim or otherwise is not the solution. Refugees are currently vetted for over two years before being allowed entry, and no person accepted into the U.S. as a refugee has been implicated in a fatal terrorist attack since systematic procedures were established for accepting refugees in 1980, according to an analysis of terrorism immigration risks by the Cato Institute.

Orwellian doublespeak cannot obscure the hostility toward Muslims and Islam that animates President Trumps executive order on immigration. A Muslim ban is a Muslim ban by any other name.

On the day we remember the Nazi genocide of the Jews, the United States closed the door to those fleeing genocide today.

A shameful day indeed.

Charles C. Haynes is vice president of the Newseum Institute and founding director of the Religious Freedom Center.

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First Amendment: 'A shameful day' - hays Post

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Infected DRM Files Can Reveal Tor Data – Security Intelligence – Security Intelligence (blog)

Posted: at 7:51 am

Cybercriminals have been using digital rights management (DRM) files in Windows to transport malware for a while. Social engineering was often an integral part of this process since any attempt to open these files in Windows Media Player (WMP) would then generate a pop-up that redirected the targets default browser to an attacker-controlled website. That website was the beginning of an infection.

Now, attackers are using this process for more than just malware. Researchers recently found that the Tor browser and privacy controls can be affected by a malicious DRM file.

Malicious DRM files work by causing Windows Media Player (WMP) to generate a pop-up requesting permission to redirect the default browser to the content providers website to find out how to obtain the necessary play rights, Hacker House reported. Once a user agrees, he or she is sent to a malware-laden page and the infection process begins. However, this only happens when users attempt to open unlicensed files.

But now, cybercriminals have devised a way for a file with a proper DRM license to redirect the browser without so much as a prompt. Not only could this lead to malware, but it could also contribute to a massive loss of privacy for certain users.

Bleeping Computer, reporting on the Hacker House findings, noted that these DRM files can cause problems when opened in the privacy-enhanced Tor browser. Attackers can capture victims credentials surreptitiously by using cryptographically signed DRM files.

The attackers website appears legitimate to detract attention from the fraudulent URL. Users who interact with the site risk revealing their IP addresses or other credentials through normal system calls. For Tor users, many of whom are using the browser specifically to hide these details, this is a worst case scenario.

Hacker House posted a short video that showed how the malware operators can extract a victims IP with a single click. Its easy to see how a malicious, signed DRM file might also silently ping an attacker-controlled URL to report a victims status and location.

Since the DRM signing process can cost around $10,000, only cybercriminals with deep pockets can fund such a scheme. Those who can afford it, however, have a significant advantage when it comes to spreading malware.

This social engineering scheme is sneaky enough to fool even security-savvy Tor users. To be safe, everyone should avoid all unknown DRM files, no matter how enticing the title may be.

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Cryptocurrency exchange Bitsane adds AdvCash, DASH and ICN … – EconoTimes

Posted: at 7:50 am

Tuesday, February 7, 2017 4:35 AM UTC

Ireland-based cryptocurrency exchange platform Bitsane has added the support of AdvCash, DASH and Iconomi transactions. Bitsane users can now trade DASH and Iconomi (ICN) for Dollars and Euro and can also make deposits and withdrawals in AdvCash.

With the addition of more cryptocurrency, Bitsane aims to continue being a fast-growing, easy to use and a reliable solution for trading blockchain assets. Full trading functionalities are open for DASH and ICN and cross-pairs are also enabled.

After evaluating a number of crypto currencies for inclusion on our exchange platform, it soon became clear that customer demand for DASH and ICONOMI was particularly strong. That is why we are excited to be able to respond to our customers requests in this way, Aidas Rupsys, CEO at Bitsane, stated in a release.

Being an open source peer-to-peer cryptocurrency, DASH provides instant transactions (InstantSend), private untraceable transactions (PrivateSend) as well as token fungibility. On the other hand, ICN, a new cryptocurrency, enables investors to invest in the early stages of a project, making it possible for big profits.

Bitsane bitcoin exchange has also introduced the integration of AdvCash, a popular e-wallet service by Advanced Cash company. With this integration, users can deposit and withdraw money to/from their Bitsane account using AdvCash wallet.

The digital currency exchange platform stated that in the coming months, it aims to add more crypto-to-fiat and crypto-to-crypto trading pairs in a move to cater to their users needs.

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Cryptocurrency exchange Bitsane adds AdvCash, DASH and ICN ... - EconoTimes

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Cryptocurrency wallet KeepKey adds Dash to roster – EconoTimes

Posted: at 7:50 am

Tuesday, February 7, 2017 6:18 AM UTC

KeepKey, a Washington-based bitcoin hardware wallet provider, announced that Dash cryptocurrency is now in public beta on its wallet.

With this addition, KeepKey users can safely store Dash on the device and also can do that with KeepKey client itself. Dash will be joining the likes of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dogecoin and the cryptocurrency stands in the seventh position among blockchain assets by market cap.

KeepKeys support for Dash also extends to ShapeShift. With the addition of Dash, users can now exchange 20 unique currency pairs in the KeepKey client, the announcement stated.

The KeepKey client will open a new stand-alone window that offers more accessible and user-friendly interface. Unlike the drop-down window, this window can be moved or resized.

Users can download Dash public beta from their chrome web store and must make sure to uninstall or disable any existing KeepKey Chrome Apps or Extensions prior to installing.

The bitcoin hardware wallet stated that it will be continuing to expand its first-class security platform to the digital assets based on the users' demand.

Scientists Create Programmable Cement, New And Improved Concrete Structures

Seven essential tips to breaking up with sugar

Protect your privacy during turbulent times: A hackers guide to being cyber-safe

Interactive body map: physical inactivity and the risks to your health

Scientists Created Cancer Cure Using Light To Target Tumors

Your smartphone knows a lot about you, but what about your mental health?

Water intoxication: are we drowning in advice to drink more fluids?

Fly From Sydney To LA In 6 Hours With Baby Boom Supersonic Plane

After decades of research, why is AIDS still rampant?

Video: Invincibility Coating, Soft Objects Survive 150Ft Drop Intact

Neuroscience hasn't been weaponized it's been a tool of war from the start

Holograms are no longer the future, but we must not forget them here's why

See the rest here:
Cryptocurrency wallet KeepKey adds Dash to roster - EconoTimes

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Cryptocurrency Platform Byteball Schedules Second Round of Distribution for February Full Moon – PR Newswire (press release)

Posted: at 7:50 am

MOSCOW, Jan. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --The next generation cryptocurrency platform,Byteballwill soon embark on the next round of token distribution. The second round, scheduled for the next full moon, i.e. February 11, 2017, at 00:33 (UTC) followsthe first free bytes token offering held on Christmas Day 2016. Like the earlier launch-day giveaway, the Bitcoin community along with existing bytes holders stand to benefit from the upcoming distribution round.

During the platform's launch on December 25, 2016, Byteball offered bytes (native currency) and blackbytes (an untraceable private currency) for free to the Bitcoin community, proportional to their BTC holdings. The exercise saw over 70,000 BTCs linked to the distribution. Similarly, the second round of free distribution will be proportional to bytes and bitcoin holdings of the cryptocurrency community. The platform will be offering 0.1 gigabytes (GB) for every GB, and 0.0625 GB for each BTC held by the eligible community members.

"In the new distribution, 1 GB holding receives the same share as 1.6 BTC. 1 GB is currently traded at 0.05 BTC."

Byteball stands apart from other cryptocurrency offerings by adoptingDirected Acyclic Graph (DAG), an alternative to blockchain technology. It allows the platform to avoid scalability issues like the ones currently faced by the Bitcoin network.

Byteball is a cryptocurrency platform that aims to give people greater control over their funds through ease of use and user readable smart contracts. The ecosystem includes cryptocurrency wallets, a bot supported marketplace, a private untraceable currency, and more. It also integrates payments with an encrypted chat e.g., a recently launched trading chatbot allows people to exchange BTC to bytes and vice versa.

Byteball has a maximum cap of 10^15 bytes, out of which 99% are to be distributed in multiple rounds.

About Byteball

Byteball is an initiative of a Moscow, Russia-based development team. The innovative cryptocurrency uses DAG protocol instead of the conventional blockchain, eliminating scaling issues. Byteball is a complete cryptocurrency ecosystem launched on Christmas day, 2016.

Learn more about Byteball at https://byteball.org Byteball on BitconTalk https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1608859.0 Follow Byteball on Twitter https://twitter.com/ByteballOrg Byteball's Slack channel http://slack.byteball.org

Media Contact

Contact Name:Anton Churyumov Company Name:Byteball Contact Email:byteball@byteball.org Location:Moscow, Russia

Byteball is the source of this content. Virtual currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to consumer protections. This press release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest.

Qtum Mixing Bitcoin & Ethereum Launching ‘Proof-Of-Stake’ Smart … – Forbes

Posted: at 7:50 am

Forbes

Qtum Mixing Bitcoin & Ethereum Launching 'Proof-Of-Stake' Smart ...
Forbes
In an ambitious goal to become the 'Blockchain of China', the Qtum Project based out of Singapore have announced they are launching the first 'Proof-of-Stake' ...

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Qtum Mixing Bitcoin & Ethereum Launching 'Proof-Of-Stake' Smart ... - Forbes

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Bitcoin Exempt from UAE Central Bank’s Ban on Virtual Currencies … – Bitcoin Magazine

Posted: at 7:50 am

On January 1, 2017, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) published a new framework covering digital payments in the country. According to the new Regulatory Framework For Stored Values and Electronic Payment Systems, which is applicable to all electronic payment services providers, all Virtual Currencies (and any transactions thereof) are prohibited.

In the new framework, the definition for virtual currencies that the central bank has identified is any type of digital unit used as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, or a form of stored value. This would suggest that bitcoin and other digital currencies have been officially banned by the UAE central bank as of January 1.

However, on February 1, Mubarak Rashed Khamis Al Mansouri, governor of the UAE central bank, informed Gulf News in a statement saying that these regulations do not cover virtual currency, which is defined as any type of digital unit used as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, or a form of stored value. In this context, these regulations do not apply to bitcoin or other digital currencies, currency exchanges, or underlying technology such as blockchain.

He added that digital currencies are currently under review by the Central Bank and new regulations will be issued as appropriate.

In the statement, Governor Al Mansouri further highlighted that fintech development will play an integral role in the future of the UAEs financial industry, which is the reason why the new framework was introduced at the beginning of the year.

While the new framework for e-payments and the confusion surrounding bitcoin regulations may sound worrying to some, the reality is that the UAE aims to become a leading center for blockchain innovation by 2020 and intends to become the first government to execute all of its transactions using the distributed ledger technology.

To achieve this goal, Dubais Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, launched the Dubai blockchain strategy to improve inefficiencies in governmental departments by eliminating paper transactions and by reducing the work hours involved in handling paper transactions. Furthermore, the blockchain strategy also aims to facilitate company incorporations for Emiratis, expats and foreign investors by creating a blockchain-based incorporation system.

As the UAE aims to become a leader in blockchain technology, it would be extremely surprising if its regulators would then stunt innovation in this area by restricting or prohibiting the use of digital currencies. Hence, any future bitcoin regulations in the UAE will most likely favor blockchain startups and the bitcoin economy.

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This Dark Market Wants to Pay You Bitcoin to Find Security Bugs … – CoinDesk

Posted: at 7:50 am

Bug bounty hunters could make as much as 10 bitcoins identifying security problems at the popular dark marketplace Hansa.

Taking a page from leading tech companies which offer cash rewards to developers that spot code issues, administrators for the market announced last week that it would pay 10 BTC for "vulnerabilities that could severely disrupt HANSA's integrity".The program was first reported by CyberScoop.

For bugs that arent as critical, admins said they would offer 1 BTC, with 0.05 BTC being put up for display issues and other minor problems.

There are rules for the program, however. Prospective bounty hunters are asked not to make the exploits public prior to disclosing them to the markets operators, or undertake any attacks that might harm Hansa users. The more details that are provided, the admins wrote, "the higher the chance a payout will be awarded".

The admins went on to explain:

"To be eligible, you must demonstrate a security compromise on our market using a reproducible exploit. Should you encounter a bug please open a ticket and inform us about your findings."

In a way, the bug bounty program further highlights the dark market ecosystems continued use of bitcoin as a financial tool. Years before, it was the now-defunct Silk Road that relied on bitcoin as a payment tool, though today markets have begun looking to other digital currencies like monero.

Social media posts suggest that at least one site-critical bug has been identified, with CyberScoop reporting that others had been found since the programs launch.

Image via Shutterstock

CrimeHansa

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This Dark Market Wants to Pay You Bitcoin to Find Security Bugs ... - CoinDesk

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Bitcoin Price Watch; Upside Run! – newsBTC

Posted: at 7:50 am

Here's a look at what we are focusing on in the bitcoin price this morning.

So, were half way through the week, and things are hotting up in the bitcoin price from an intraday perspective. After what was a pretty slow day yesterday, we saw a little bit of up and down overnight and then this morning, just as European markets kicked off for the day, we got a spike in price and some fresh intra-weekly highs produced. Spikes like this are great because they not only serve as an opportunity to get into the market on the breakouts they represent, but they also give us some pretty solid levels to use as our defining range parameters. In this instance, with the spike being an upside break, we can use its peak as resistance.

Additionally, and as a side note, we also managed to get in long on the break, and pull a profit from the market on the action.

Thats not the end of the move, however, with any luck.

If we can get a continuation of the momentum (things seem to be consolidating right now, but this is probably a good sign) then we will try and get in early on the move and ride it up into further profitability.

So, with this in mind, and as we move in to todays session, heres what we are going at.

As ever, take a quick look at the chart below to get an idea of the levels in focus.

As the chart shows, the range we are looking at this morning is defined by support to the downside 1075, and resistance to the upside at 1087. Breakout only this morning, as the range is a little too tight for us to go at things intrarange.

If we see price break through resistance, we will enter long towards an upside target of 1097. A stop loss on the trade at 1084 defines risk. Conversely, if price breaks below support, we will enter towards 1065.

Lets see how things play out.

Charts courtesy of SimpleFX

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Bitcoin Price Watch; Upside Run! - newsBTC

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NASA okays commercial airlock for space station – Spaceflight Now

Posted: at 7:49 am

Artists concept of the NanoRacks airlock attached to the space stations Tranquility module. Credit: NanoRacks

A commercial airlock built in partnership by NanoRacks and Boeing will be connected to the International Space Station in 2019, the companies announced Monday, after the proposed project won preliminary approval from NASA managers.

NanoRacks plans to deploy small commercial satellites and CubeSats from the airlock, reducing the workload currently occupying time on the smaller equipment airlock inside the Japanese Kibo laboratory module. Only half of the Kibo airlocks capacity is allocated to NASA and commercial clients the rest goes to Japan.

This partnership is an important step in the commercial transition well see on the ISS in coming years, said Mark Mulqueen, Boeings ISS program manager. Utilizing a commercial airlock to keep up with the demand of deployment will significantly streamline our process.

NanoRacks has arranged for the launch of more than 375 payloads to the space station since 2009, including more than 100 CubeSats released from a deployer mounted on the end of the Japanese robotic arm outside Kibo for commercial customers, universities and NASA.

Houston-based NanoRacks also has an external platform outside Kibo, where scientists can test sensors, electronics and other equipment in the harsh environment of space.

The privately-funded commercial airlock will launch inside the unpressurized trunk of a SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, then attach to a port on the stations Tranquility module with the Canadian-built robotic arm.

Another commercial module is already to connected to Tranquility.

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM, launched to the station in April 2016 under a NASA-funded contract. Developed and built by Bigelow Aerospace, the soft-sided module expanded to full size in late May after bolted on to the Tranquility module.

BEAM is on a two-year demonstration to test the performance of an expandable module in space, but Bigelow and NASA are in discussions to extend the modules presence on the station longer.

NASA and NanoRacks signed a Space Act Agreement for the airlock project last year. The space agency announced Monday that it has committed to install the airlock on the station once NanoRacks completes pre-agreed financial and technical milestones outlined in the agreement.

We want to utilize the space station to expose the commercial sector to new and novel uses of space, ultimately creating a new economy in low Earth orbit for scientific research, technology development and human and cargo transportation, said Sam Scimemi, director of the ISS division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. We hope this new airlock will allow a diverse community to experiment and develop opportunities in space for the commercial sector.

The new airlock will triple the number of small satellites that can be deployed in a single cycle, according to Boeing.

Astronauts inside the station will also be able to assemble payloads from components delivered to the complex in bags, then put them through the NanoRacks airlock, which can handle larger packages than the sizes supported by the current Kibo passageway.

Boeing is providing the passive common berthing mechanism, a connecting ring to install the new port on the Tranquility module, plus unspecified engineering services required for developing and manufacturing of the airlock, according to NanoRacks.

We are very pleased to have Boeing joining with us to develop the airlock module, said Jeffrey Manber, CEO of NanoRacks. This is a huge step for NASA and the U.S. space program, to leverage the commercial marketplace for low Earth orbit, on Space Station and beyond, and NanoRacks is proud to be taking the lead in this prestigious venture.

Boeing is also NASAs lead contractor for the entire space station, providing engineering support for all of the labs U.S. modules.

NanoRacks said the airlock could be detached from the ISS and placed on another platform in orbit.

The NanoRacks airlock module is the next logical step in the successful line of NanoRacks commercial payload facilities, said Brock Howe, head of the airlock project at NanoRacks. This airlock module will provide a broad range of capabilities to our payload customers and expand greatly on the commercial utilization of the station and I look forward to leading the team at NanoRacks on this next venture.

The airlock module will be assembled and tested by NanoRacks, which is also responsible for the design, safety, operations, quality assurance, mockups and crew training, the company said in a statement.

ATA Engineering of San Diego will lead structural and thermal analysis and testing services for the airlock project.

Email the author.

Follow Stephen Clark on Twitter: @StephenClark1.

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NASA okays commercial airlock for space station - Spaceflight Now

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Monthly Archives: February 2017

First Amendment: ‘A shameful day’ – hays Post

Infected DRM Files Can Reveal Tor Data – Security Intelligence – Security Intelligence (blog)

Cryptocurrency exchange Bitsane adds AdvCash, DASH and ICN … – EconoTimes

Cryptocurrency wallet KeepKey adds Dash to roster – EconoTimes

Cryptocurrency Platform Byteball Schedules Second Round of Distribution for February Full Moon – PR Newswire (press release)

Qtum Mixing Bitcoin & Ethereum Launching ‘Proof-Of-Stake’ Smart … – Forbes

Bitcoin Exempt from UAE Central Bank’s Ban on Virtual Currencies … – Bitcoin Magazine

This Dark Market Wants to Pay You Bitcoin to Find Security Bugs … – CoinDesk

Bitcoin Price Watch; Upside Run! – newsBTC

NASA okays commercial airlock for space station – Spaceflight Now

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