# Security Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "Security", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

Kenyan KNEC Places 15 Million Academic Records on Avalanche

The Kenyan National Examinations Council (KNEC) has digitized over 15 million academic records on the Avalanche ($AVAX) C-Chain blockchain. This new system allows for near-instant verification of certificates for job seekers and employers, replacing a paper-based process that previously took up to six months for large-scale checks. The initiative, developed with local tech firm LegitDoc, covers key exam records (KCPE, KCSE), professional diplomas, and teacher certificates. It aims to combat fraud by providing immutable, secure records easily verifiable through an official portal. While the network's ability to handle high volumes at low cost makes it attractive for such large-scale government projects, the price of AVAX has seen a significant decline. This project follows other major government uses of Avalanche, including land record management in India and document handling by California's DMV.

cryptonews.ru08/03 23:23

Kenyan KNEC Places 15 Million Academic Records on Avalanche

cryptonews.ru08/03 23:23

Is Using an iPhone as a Cryptocurrency Wallet Effective?

The article discusses the suitability of using an iPhone as a cryptocurrency wallet amid heightened security concerns, including fears of quantum computing decryption and recent exploits like the Coldcard hardware wallet breach. Security investigator ZachXBT suggested in Telegram that a dedicated, older iPhone could be a viable alternative to specialized hardware wallets, though he noted this approach isn't for everyone. Roman Storm, a key developer of Tornado Cash, acknowledged the idea but highlighted a critical limitation: the lack of a unified mobile wallet application supporting the BIP39 passphrase feature. This optional security layer adds a word or string to a standard seed phrase to create a hidden wallet. Storm argued that a core security threat—someone physically accessing your device at home—remains unaddressed by simply switching to an iPhone. He urged mobile wallet providers to implement BIP39 support. The article notes that dedicated hardware wallets like Trezor, Keystone, BitBox, BitBox, and Coldcard already support BIP39, giving them a current advantage. Representatives from Keystone and Trezor's Danny Sanders added that iPhones, as general-purpose devices, come with more features and potential attack surfaces, requiring significant technical knowledge and strict security discipline to use safely as a wallet.

cryptonews.ru08/03 23:09

Is Using an iPhone as a Cryptocurrency Wallet Effective?

cryptonews.ru08/03 23:09

Jim Cramer Plans to Dump His Bitcoin, Warns Quantum Firm Will Crack Crypto Soon

CNBC's Jim Cramer announced plans to sell his Bitcoin holdings, citing warnings from IBM's CEO Arvind Krishna that commercially viable quantum computers could break Bitcoin's cryptography within three to four years. This statement triggered the popular "Inverse Cramer" reaction in crypto markets, with many traders viewing it as a bullish signal, and Bitcoin's price remained stable around $63,764. The specific quantum threat targets the ECDSA signature scheme, potentially exposing private keys from public ones for Bitcoin addresses that have been reused or are visible during transaction broadcasts. Researchers estimate around 30% of all BTC, or 6-7 million coins held in older "dormant" wallets, could be vulnerable. While a recent Google Quantum AI paper suggested such an attack might require fewer physical qubits than previously thought, current quantum systems are still orders of magnitude away from the reliable logical qubits needed. Expert timelines for a functional cryptographically relevant quantum computer vary widely, from Krishna's 2028-2029 estimate to more conservative predictions in the 2030s or 2040s. Cramer has a history of shifting his Bitcoin stance, and his latest warning was largely interpreted as a market sentiment indicator rather than a technical analysis. The focus now is on whether Bitcoin's development of quantum-resistant upgrades will outpace the advancement of quantum computing hardware.

cryptonews.ru08/03 23:06

Jim Cramer Plans to Dump His Bitcoin, Warns Quantum Firm Will Crack Crypto Soon

cryptonews.ru08/03 23:06

Jim Cramer Announces He Will Sell All His Bitcoin

CNBC host Jim Cramer announced he is selling all of his Bitcoin due to concerns that quantum computers could undermine Bitcoin's security. He made the decision following an interview with IBM CEO Arvind Krishna on his show *Mad Money*, where Krishna warned quantum computers could impact cryptocurrency encryption systems within 3-4 years and advised investors to be "paranoid." The announcement quickly circulated within the crypto community, reviving the "inverse Cramer" joke referencing his past sell recommendations often coinciding with market lows. Despite the news, Bitcoin traded around $63,700, up roughly 1% over 24 hours. While the potential for quantum computers to break Bitcoin's elliptic-curve cryptography has long been debated, experts note the threat is not yet imminent in practice. They also point out that Bitcoin could transition to quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms in the future.

cryptonews.ru08/03 22:06

Jim Cramer Announces He Will Sell All His Bitcoin

cryptonews.ru08/03 22:06

2013 Bitcoin Whale Awakens, Moves 500 BTC Amid Escalating Coldcard Concerns

A "Bitcoin whale" wallet dormant since 2013 has awakened, moving 500 BTC (worth ~$31.32 million). This transaction, first reported by btcparser.com and Whale Alert, originates from an address created on December 6, 2013, when Bitcoin first surpassed $1,000. The original 500 BTC were valued at approximately $521,000 at that time. This movement is seen as part of a wider trend prompted by growing security concerns surrounding a vulnerability in the Coldcard hardware wallet's firmware and random number generator. Reports indicate roughly 1,431.97 BTC have already been stolen via this exploit. Since July 30th, hundreds of BTC have been proactively transferred from other long-dormant wallets, likely due to these fears. Blockchain data shows the 500 BTC were sent to a Pay-to-Witness-Public-Key-Hash (P2WPKH) address not linked to any known exchange, custodian, or entity. For early adopters who embraced self-custody, the Coldcard flaw directly challenges their core philosophy of exclusive private key control. Analysts suggest this transfer represents a security precaution—an effort to protect capital by moving funds from a potentially vulnerable, outdated wallet—rather than a market-timing decision. The action underscores a shift in priority for some long-term holders from speculation to capital preservation amid heightened security risks.

cryptonews.ru08/03 20:36

2013 Bitcoin Whale Awakens, Moves 500 BTC Amid Escalating Coldcard Concerns

cryptonews.ru08/03 20:36

A major Bitcoin market player, inactive for four years, transferred Bitcoin worth about 46 million dollars! Here are the details

A large Bitcoin investor, inactive for four years, has moved 730 BTC worth approximately $46.12 million. The assets, accumulated over seven years, were transferred to a newly created wallet from an address with no prior transaction history. Analysts suggest the move could be linked to recently discovered security vulnerabilities in hardware wallets, potentially prompting long-term holders to migrate funds for safety. There is no evidence the bitcoins were sent to an exchange, leaving the intent—whether for security or potential sale—unclear. This follows another recent large transfer of over 16,400 BTC (worth >$1 billion) by a separate long-term holder. Such activity signals renewed movement of funds among major investors, though transfers between wallets do not necessarily indicate imminent selling and can be for security or portfolio management purposes.

cryptonews.ru08/03 10:56

A major Bitcoin market player, inactive for four years, transferred Bitcoin worth about 46 million dollars! Here are the details

cryptonews.ru08/03 10:56

XRPL Foundation Director Warns Of Fake XRP Holder Tiers Scam

XRPL Foundation Community Director Hussein "Vet" Zangana has issued a warning about a phishing scam impersonating Ripple. The scam uses a fake "XRP Holder Tiers" announcement to trick users into connecting their crypto wallets, potentially leading to fund theft. Officials emphasize this is a social engineering attack and not a breach of Ripple's internal systems. The scam exploits common crypto user behaviors, such as urgency around airdrops and rewards, and the fear of missing out on loyalty benefits. Connecting a wallet to a malicious site can grant dangerous permissions or initiate draining transactions. XRP's large, active community makes it a frequent target for such impersonation campaigns. While public warnings from community figures are helpful, they are not a complete defense against evolving scams. The key safety takeaway is for users to ignore unsolicited reward announcements and never connect wallets through unofficial links. Any offer should be verified through multiple official channels before interaction.

bitcoinist08/03 09:56

XRPL Foundation Director Warns Of Fake XRP Holder Tiers Scam

bitcoinist08/03 09:56

XRPL Node Operators Urged to Update to Version 3.2.1 Immediately

Ripple's Director of Development, Vijay Khanna, has notified XRP Ledger node operators of the release of XRPL version 3.2.1, which contains a critical fix for the network. This update addresses a "manifest flood" attack that was observed in the network on July 31st. Previously, nodes would accept, store, and relay an unlimited number of manifests from unknown validator keys. Version 3.2.1 implements four key restrictions to prevent such flooding: - A manifest size limit, rejecting any manifest larger than expected. - An inbound limit, where incoming packets exceeding a threshold are dropped instead of disconnecting the peer. - An outbound limit, capping the manifest packet size in welcome messages to new peers. - A caching limit, rejecting new unknown keys after 100 are stored. Additionally, manifests from unknown keys are no longer saved to disk, preventing the flood from persisting after a node restart. Node operators are strongly urged to update to XRPL 3.2.1, wait briefly to ensure the process is running, and then restart the xrpld service. This release enhances validator manifest security by rejecting oversized objects early, limiting processing and storage of untrusted data, and preventing untrusted information from entering permanent storage.

cryptonews.ru08/03 09:40

XRPL Node Operators Urged to Update to Version 3.2.1 Immediately

cryptonews.ru08/03 09:40

Hacker Coldcard Receives Brazen Bitcoin Money Laundering Proposal on the Blockchain

Coldcard, a Bitcoin hardware wallet, faced a significant security breach a few days after Coinkite disclosed a long-undetected firmware vulnerability. The flaw allowed attackers to recover weakly generated wallet seeds, systematically draining vulnerable single-signature wallets. According to Coldcard Sweep Watch, total losses have reached approximately 1,359.882 BTC, with most stolen funds still concentrated on addresses controlled by the attacker. An unusual event occurred on August 1st when a transaction containing an OP_RETURN message was sent to one of the attacker's addresses. This message openly advertised money laundering services, offering help with KYC procedures and cashing out stolen coins for a 10% fee, and included a Telegram contact. This has led to speculation that it could be a serious offer, a trap, or possibly even law enforcement. Despite the theft of over 1,300 BTC, blockchain researchers note that the majority of the funds remain unmoved on a small number of addresses, making the stolen coins highly visible on Bitcoin's transparent ledger. In response, Coinkite released emergency firmware updates to fix the weak random number generator responsible for the vulnerability. However, the update only protects newly created wallets and does not fix seeds already generated by vulnerable versions. Furthermore, users began reporting that the update caused some Mk4 and Q devices (and some Mk3) to freeze, display errors, or become completely inoperable. Coinkite has not yet publicly confirmed a widespread firmware defect. Security experts are strongly advising users of potentially vulnerable wallets to move their funds to a new, securely generated wallet *before* applying any firmware update, as the patch cannot strengthen an already weak seed. This incident has evolved into a major test of trust in hardware wallet security, highlighting concerns about wallet design, seed generation, and long-term self-custody practices. The community is now closely watching to see if the stolen Bitcoin will be moved and if Coinkite will issue further guidance for affected customers.

cryptonews.ru08/03 09:37

Hacker Coldcard Receives Brazen Bitcoin Money Laundering Proposal on the Blockchain

cryptonews.ru08/03 09:37

Samson Mow Shares 5 Urgent Recommendations for Coldcard Users Facing Losses

Samson Mow, CEO of JAN3, shares five urgent recommendations for Coldcard users affected by losses due to a Random Number Generator (RNG) vulnerability. He emphasizes documenting all details (wallet addresses, dates, firmware versions, transaction info) for a proper incident report. Users are advised to file a police report with cybercrime units or agencies like the FBI's IC3 and to monitor coordinated efforts to track stolen funds. Mow strongly warns against destroying the affected Coldcard device or seed phrase, as they may be needed to prove ownership if stolen bitcoin is frozen on an exchange. He also cautions victims to ignore fraudulent recovery service offers that request upfront payments or sensitive wallet information. The incident highlights broader self-custody security lessons. Mow stresses minimizing single points of failure by using multi-vendor, multi-signature setups instead of relying on a single hardware provider. He acknowledges self-custody is complex and urges the community to be less critical of those using custodians or ETFs, as each storage method involves trade-offs. Coinkite, the maker of Coldcard, has issued a security advisory urging users of affected devices to update firmware, generate new seeds, and move funds if their seed was created on vulnerable versions. The aftermath includes potential legal action against Coinkite by affected users and an unsolicited blockchain message to the attacker offering money-laundering services.

cryptonews.ru08/03 09:32

Samson Mow Shares 5 Urgent Recommendations for Coldcard Users Facing Losses