What is Money? Decoding the Finance Code with easyDNS CEO Mark Jeftovic

Last month our CEO, Mark Jeftovic traveled to Miami to be interviewed on Robert Breedlove’s “What is Money” show.

The backstory of easyDNS is a recurring theme throughout, as they discuss the perverse incentives and “inversions” that arise through decades of central bank manipulation of the monetary system and the ever-increasing central planning of the economy.

Watch: https://bombthrower.com/what-is-money-podcast-interview-cracking-the-code-of-finance/


Spanish High Court Suspends Order to Block Telegram while Awaiting Police Report

On March 25, Spain’s High Court suspended its own order to block the messaging app Telegram’s services in the country as it awaits a police report on the impact the temporary ban would have on users.

Judge Santiago Pedraz agreed Friday to suspend Telegram’s services in Spain while investigating claims by several media companies that the app was allowing users to upload their content without permission. The suspension was to take effect on Monday.

By Monday, however, Pedraz decided to halt the order’s enforcement and instead commissioned a report by national police on Telegram’s “characteristics as well as on the impact (the temporary suspension) may have on its users,” according to a court statement.

Media firms including Atresmedia, Mediaset, EGEDA and Telefonica have sued Telegram over what they describe as continued copyright infringement on the app. Telegram has declined to comment on the allegations.

During his investigation, Pedraz requested information on the identities of users suspected of illegally sharing protected content from the Virgin Islands, a British overseas territory in the Caribbean where Telegram, founded by Russian-born billionaire Pavel Durov, is registered as a business.

The court said authorities there failed to comply with its request.

Read: https://www.reuters.com/technology/spanish-court-suspends-order-blocking-telegram-pending-police-report-2024-03-25/

Google’s Directive to Disclose Viewers of Targeted YouTube Videos

These measures, reminiscent of dragnet-style investigations, have raised significant constitutional concerns, particularly regarding their potential violation of the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches. Critics argue that unmasking everyone who viewed particular content on YouTube not only infringes upon privacy rights but also treats all viewers as suspects by default.

John Davisson, a representative from the Electronic Privacy Information Center, expressed apprehension, stating, “It’s fair to expect that law enforcement won’t have access to that (sensitive personal) information without probable cause.” However, recent cases, including one originating in Kentucky, suggest otherwise. In this instance, a court order compelled the disclosure of extensive personal information of users suspected of engaging in illicit activities.

Forbes reports access to several court orders naming specific YouTube videos, highlighting a case in New Hampshire involving a bomb threat. Authorities sought to identify individuals who watched a livestream of the ensuing police search, including subscribers of channels with significant viewership, such as Boston and Maine Live. Despite Google’s compliance with demands for secrecy, questions persist regarding the scope of data provided and its implications for individual privacy.

As these surveillance measures continue to evolve, it becomes imperative to scrutinize their legal and ethical ramifications, underscoring the delicate balance between security and civil liberties in the digital age.

Read: https://reclaimthenet.org/google-is-ordered-to-identify-who-watched-certain-youtube-videos

British High Court Blocks US Extradition Charges for Julian Assange

The UK high court has extended WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s hope to avoid espionage charges in the United States, allowing Assange to further challenge his extradition from the UK to the US.

In a ruling issued in London on Tuesday, two high court judges said that Assange will not be immediately extradited to the United States. In a press summary of the 60-page decision, the court said Assange has a “real prospect of success” in appealing his extradition order and that it requires the US and UK to make further “assurances” about his treatment if he were to be extradited.

“The Court has given the Government of the United States three weeks to give satisfactory assurances: that Mr Assange is permitted to rely on the First Amendment to the United States Constitution (which protects free speech), that he is not prejudiced at trial (including sentence) by reason of his nationality, that he is afforded the same First Amendment protections as a United States citizen and that the death penalty is not imposed,” the press summary says.

In what will be seen as a temporary reprieve for Assange, the judges said a further hearing will take place on May 20, 2024, after officials in the US have provided more information in response to the case. Judges Victoria Sharp and Adam Johnson said that if US officials cannot provide assurances about Assange’s treatment if he is extradited, then a full appeals hearing will take place. If this happens, there is a chance Assange will not be extradited.

Read: https://www.wired.com/story/julian-assange-extradite-court-decision-wikileaks/

U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Russian Crypto Firms Over Alleged Sanctions Evasion

The U.S. government has escalated its sanctions program against Russian tech companies suspected of aiding Russia in evading existing sanctions. Spearheaded by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), this move comes amidst growing global concerns over Russia’s actions.

Following a united statement from G7 leaders, OFAC took decisive action to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions. Brian Nelson, the under secretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, expressed deep concerns regarding Russia’s methods. He emphasized the importance of curbing Russia’s ability to exploit alternative payment mechanisms to sustain its activities.

The latest round of sanctions targets thirteen companies and two individuals, primarily fintech firms based in Moscow. These entities are accused of facilitating various activities, including cross-border payments and tokenizing assets. Some have been allegedly collaborating with OFAC-designated Russian banks.

Moreover, Bitpapa IC FZC LLC and Crypto Explorer DMCC, operating virtual currency exchanges, are also under scrutiny for their involvement in facilitating transactions with sanctioned Russian entities.

Due to these measures, the assets and interests of the targeted companies in the U.S. will be frozen. Additionally, transactions involving sanctioned individuals will be blocked. The Treasury’s objective is clear: to prevent these companies from aiding sanctioned Russian banks and from accessing the global financial system again.

Read: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/us-designates-russian-crypto/

Apple’s M-Series Chips Encounter Unfixable Security Flaw

A team of researchers has identified a non-fixable security vulnerability in Apple’s M1, M2, and M3 chips. This flaw could potentially compromise encryption if manipulated. The issue lies in the chip architecture, making it impossible for Apple to rectify it through a standard update. Although the flaw can be used to extract encryption keys, the process is complex and time-consuming.

The researchers, from various U.S. universities, demonstrated the flaw’s exploitation using an app named GoFetch. This app doesn’t need root access and can leak a secret key if it and the targeted cryptography app operate on the same performance cluster.

However, as the flaw is embedded in the chips themselves, it cannot be patched. The researchers suggest that Apple could implement workarounds on the software side in their M1, M2, and M3 chips, but this could significantly impact performance.

Despite the flaw’s severity, it’s not an immediate cause for concern. To exploit the vulnerability, a user would need to install a malicious app, which is made difficult by Apple’s default blocking of unsigned apps. Moreover, the attack is time-consuming, requiring the malicious app to run continuously for up to 10 hours.

The researchers advise keeping all software on Apple silicon-powered Macs current and installing regular updates from Apple as soon as they become available. Apple has yet to comment on this vulnerability.

Read: https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/macbooks/unpatchable-vulnerability-discovered-in-apple-m1-m2-and-m3-chips-what-you-need-to-know

 
Elsewhere Online:

Windows Infiltrated: The Rise of DEEP#GOSU Malware and North Korea’s Cyber Espionage
Read: https://thehackernews.com/2024/03/new-deepgosu-malware-campaign-targets.html

Unmasking Azorult: Google Sites Used as Cover for Advanced Evasive Tactics
Read: https://www.netskope.com/blog/from-delivery-to-execution-an-evasive-azorult-campaign-smuggled-through-google-sites?web_view=true

Legal Action Against Flo Health: Canadian Users Seek Redress for Privacy Violations
Read: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/flo-health-privacy-class-action-1.7137600

Fujitsu’s Cyber Crisis Unveiled: Malware Exposes Customer Data, Experts Grimes and Williams Raise Concerns
Read: https://www.darkreading.com/cyberattacks-data-breaches/fujitsu-malware-on-company-computers-exposed-customer-data

Decoding the Moldovan E-Root Marketplace and its influence on US Cybersecurity
Read: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/moldovan-e-root-marketplace-us/

Exposing the MediaWorks New Zealand Data Breach: Unraveling Extortion Tactics and Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities
Read: https://therecord.media/mediaworks-new-zealand-data-breach-extortion?&web_view=true

Previously on #AxisOfEasy