Cyber Security

On the morning of January 23, 2022, I saw a tweet about purchasing a Bored Ape NFT for 135 ETH that I assumed was completely fake. It turned out to be fake. But the transaction was absolutely real. How do I know? The Ethereum blockchain is a public ledger. Transactions are viewable by anyone (including you and me), so let's do a little exploring and see who spent $337,500 (1 ETH = $2,500 at the time) to get their Bored Ape. Continue Reading →

Axie Infinity is the most popular play-to-earn game. It is one of the best current examples of how you might combine Web2 and Web3 concepts to push the envelope. NFT|LA, a massive event about – you guessed it – NFTs opened yesterday, and I had the pleasure of moderating the opening fireside keynote with The Continue Reading →

iPhone owners in Arizona are now able to load their driver’s license or state ID into their iPhone’s Wallet app. The digital ID will allow holders to pass through TSA checkpoints in Arizona's Sky Harbor International Airport, but Arizona police will not recognize it for traffic stops. Continue Reading →

Part of the power and promise of Web 3.0 is the concept of decentralization, the ability to transact without the need for a central authority or an intermediary such as a bank or centralized exchange. While the idea of decentralization is quite easy to understand, the devil is in the details. Continue Reading →

As Russian troops surround Kyiv, millions of Ukrainians have relied on Telegram to receive government information. Why Telegram? There was an official Ukrainian COVID information Telegram channel @COVID19_Ukraine, and when war broke out, its members voted to have the channel refocus on real-time war news. The channel is now called @UkraineNOW. Continue Reading →

The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control is set to issue new rules to restrict financial transactions to enforce existing sanctions against Russia. The rules, dubbed the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, take aim at “deceptive or structured transactions or dealings to circumvent any United States sanctions, including through the use of digital currencies or assets or the use of physical assets.” Continue Reading →

To protect citizens of Ukraine, Google has temporarily disabled the live traffic features of Google Maps. If you're wondering why this matters, remember that data is more powerful in the presence of other data. Continue Reading →

First, my heart goes out to the people of the Ukraine and to the innocent victims of Russia's brutal attack. The people of Ukraine are fighting for their lives. Hopefully, the international community will figure out a way to get Russia to stand down. Continue Reading →

This past Saturday, hackers socially engineered approximately 32 OpenSea users into signing incomplete contracts and stole 254 NFTs. Although it was a phishing attack, it caused a bit of a panic.  Continue Reading →

The FDA has approved the first smartphone app to control insulin delivery. The app from Tandem Diabetes Care allows the user to wirelessly control the company's t:slim X2 insulin pump. It is the first app of its kind to be cleared by the FDA. Continue Reading →