By eqariu | Cryptomorrow | 13 hours ago

Google Authenticator or Authy or other authenticator apps are popular now for securing apps and services. These authentication apps and services add another layer of security on top of using normal passwords or pins by requiring that the owner of the account verifies further that the account belongs to them either by using codes accessed on or one-tap sign requests sent to mobile devices that the user owns. It’s called 2 Factor (2F) authentication.

And because a 2F authentication for your cryptocurrency apps is as advisable as other security measures for securing cryptocurrency such as using a cold storage, being aware and being proactive about phishing attacks and other tips advised by experts, it is necessary to enable 2F whenever you have the chance. But that comes with some responsibility to store your secret key properly. For instance, most cryptocurrency exchanges now allow users to secure their accounts and assets using Google Authenticator app or a similar authenticator app.

How can you recover from a situation where your Authenticator account secret key is gone or where your mobile device on which you had installed the Authenticator app or saved the secret key is gone for good or broken? The answer lies in two methods: ensuring you can back up your Authenticator key or using an app that can securely store your keys on cloud and allow recovery of it when you reinstall the Authenticator app on a different device.

Well, if the secret key provided on the Authenticator app when you were setting up a cryptocurrency service account with an app say your crypto exchange app, is available, then restoring your Authenticator app becomes very easy as you would need to only install Google Authenticator newly on the new device and then create a new account for the app or service by adding the secret key provided when you were setting an account for that particular app on Google Authenticator. You then are able to access codes or one-tap logins again to access the crypto apps and service.

It means that the best way to save yourself from the agony of losing crypto app Authenticator secret keys is to just write all of them down when they are provided and to save them on a different device or writing them and keeping the file or paper or whatever in a separate place so recovery would be easier if the device is lost or becomes unusable.

For those who have looked further about recovery from eventualities related to these Authenticator secret keys, they are supplied by the crypto exchanges and services to which you are logging into with the Authenticator and, you may be safer when using such services because they can do a reset for you if you lost your Authenticator secret keys, but that may also take a while and may require the customer to verify that the account belongs to them. For instance most centralized exchanges will help.

The later may, for instance, involve you contacting them directly: for Binance, for instance, that starts by clicking on “Lost Your Google Authenticator?” on the Binance’s website and if you don’t have the backup key for a quick reset, confirm the application reset after which you receive the “confirm reset” in your email, after which you would be required to put last deposit address you used and then upload 3 pictures of your ID card. Front, back, and one with you holding the ID card. Y6ou then submit them to complete the reset process and they will do the recovery.

With most exchanges, it involves several hours to days of back and forth emails with support. One of the most important thing

in some cases, however, if you are using Google Authenticator app or any other Authenticator app with your local crypto wallets or DExes and it happens that the service or company behind the service cannot access your data at all as happens for some cases where services want to improve crypto security where data is never stored on centralized servers but only on user’s device, it may not be possible at all to recover via support. You are gone!

Here are methods you can ensure you stay safe in case of an eventuality:

1. Auto recovery of Google Authenticator App: Most Android and iOS devices allow for automatic backups of files and data to Google Drive or on iCloud from time to time. That requires you to have selected the “Back up and reset” option on your device settings. You still can backup manually to Google Drive or iCloud from time to time. But the automatic backup allows you to not bother with backups every time you update the device or installed a new app or better, in our case, installed a new account on the Google Authenticator app.

With apps installed via the Google App Store, you can restore all apps and apps data previously backed up on Google servers or on iCloud, to the new device and this is done automatically when you sign in to the Play Store again for the first time on the new Android device.

2. Doing manual backups for Google Authenticator and recovering the backup: Either with third party backup software that allows you to save the backup file on computer and restore same file from the PC to mobile. You might also need to root the device and do some extracting the secret key manually from your device.

3. (professional) data recovery if your device is still working but for some reason you uninstalled the software or had wiped data or other cases of un-access to apps.

4. Using better alternatives to Google Authentication app: Most of these work wherever Google Auth app is accepted and can be used to login to those services. Examples include Authy; LastPass, Saaspass, Microsoft Authenticator and physical security key devices such as YubiKey, Titan Security Key, Protectimus NFC among others. Some have enterprise features.

Please read more on the 4 methods for explanation on this article:

Resources

1. http://www.cryptomorrow.com/2019/09/04/recover-2f-authenticator-secret-keys-for-your-cypto-app/

The relaxed rules will “boost the EU data economy, contribute to the development of a data-based society and stimulate growth”, officials hope.

Statistics, company ownership records, and meteorological information as high-value data sets will be made available free of charge. AI and blockchain projects will be allowed to use research data that is already in the public domain, and real-time weather and transport data will also be made available.

lexandru Petrescu, Romania’s minister for communications, said, “These rules are a real enabler for artificial intelligence and will help Europe to become a world leader in this crucial area. They will bolster the EU digital industry, especially smaller companies and startups, which would not otherwise have access to all the data they need to innovate and expand.”

Member states of the EU will not have a duration of 2 years to ensure that these changes are implemented into their national laws.

The International Association of Trusted Blockchain Applications was officially launched in April by the EU where they said that the technology would be key in solving some of the biggest issues in the global economy today, those that include trust between buyers and sellers, and tracing the authenticity of goods.

About Bank Of Hodlers

Bank of Hodlers is building a customer-centric bank on the blockchain, by providing financial services which include loans and payments backed by your digital assets.

We are organizing a Bounty Program where you can earn up to 1700 BOH tokens (which will be equal to $340 at the time of our sale) by completing the most simplest of actions. The total allocation for the bounty is $1 million. Participate now and help us create an ecosystem where people will be able to bank on their digital assets.

More here:

https://masternodes.pro/ranking

For every GPU there is a thermal limit that it may not exceed and reaching that limit means the cards will slow down. The essence of having as much cooling is to ensure that the limit is never reached and avoid thermal throttling, which might take away as much as 10% of your hashrate.

The hash algorithm for your mining software may also act to affect/hinder hashrates as is the factory clock speed. About mining software, it is necessary to test as much and see which renders a good reading for hash rates in 30–60 seconds.

Overclocking can also help reduce power usage and hence saving on electricity bills and even see you achieving cooler temperatures and more life for your machine. However, it would void your warranties with the card manufacturers and may freeze the system to force a system reset. Some manufacturers do provide overclock software that can be used to avoid risking warranty.

How to Optimize Performance of Your GPU in Crypto Mining

#bitcoin #crypto #mining

However, if you are looking for some of the best features when leverage trading crypto, plus if you want more leverages or multipliers, then cryptocurrency CFD contracts may be a better option for now, at WhaleClub, AvaTrade, Plus500, RoboForex (50x) and Evolve.Markets (50x), where leverages range from 10x to 50x or at Deribit (100x), XENA (100x), BitMex (100x), PrimeXBT (100x) and ADS Prime (500x) where leverages are in another entirely different level. All of these work differently from dedicated cryptocurrency exchanges above.

Otherwise below is a more detailed review of some of the main exchanges and broker trading platforms where you can trade different types of crypto either as real crypto or as CFDs in leverage.

https://www.cryptomorrow.com/2019/05/16/crypto-on-leverage-margins/

On a normal setting, you would expect a mining rig that comprises of two to multiple CPU or GPU cards combine together to improve effectiveness and outputs. Some aren’t profitable alone but will work better when combined but some are, alone.

I put down a list of best minign GPU card on this link: https://www.cryptomorrow.com/2019/05/09/best-mining-gpu-cards-2019/

In addition to protecting against malware and anti-phising, the protocol can be used to protect users against fraud, to protect brand against bad publicity, enhance child safety online, as well as to ensure news credibility.

For instance, phising is popular in ICO and token generation campaigns with users many times deceived to send their contribution money (to buy tokens) to a thief who shared phising links and websites that look similar to the original ICO website. That’s one of the areas MetaCert targets their service in the crypto industry.

Continue reading the rest of the story here: http://www.cryptomorrow.com/2019/05/07/what-is-metacert-and-how-does-it-stop-phishing-attacks/

And although you may find security token-based crypto indices where the token and issuance is regulated, most of the tokenized indices and funds work on the basis that ERC20 tokens are just utility tokens. Basically, they act as an investment vehicle in crypto economy and are more preferable for people who want to diversify their crypto portfolios instead of holding one type of asset.

So here is a list of the different crypto indexes and index funds I came across when searching. As you might have known already, some indices are solely for informational purposes but most or all of those in this list offer the investment option where you can invest money via token in those index funds.

Continue reading to see the list on Cryptomorrow.com:

Siemens, together with two partners who include a German-based banking and financial services company called Commerzbank and a technology company called Continental, recently concluded a money market securities transaction piloting in Frankfurt, Munich, using blockchain. Together, they attested that the technology carries a clear advantage over conventional tech in the trading of money markets securities, although there are a few challenges relating to its use in this market.

The testing is important because it is the first or among the first in the practical piloting of blockchain use in trading money market securities or related transactions.

Money market securities are short term assets such as Treasury Bills (T-bills), eurodollar deposits, Commercial Paper, Certificates of Deposit (CDs), and Bankers’ Acceptances. They are issued by large, trustworthy organizations including the United States government and are traded on the money market where financial instruments with high liquidity and very short maturities are traded. Being issued by highly trusted organizations lowers the risk.

These instruments have a maturity of one year or less and the payment processing takes two days normally due to a clearing process. For instance, banks usually take time to settle payments between accounts and there always is a time lag. However, the transaction took minutes to complete instead of days during the piloting project.

A Commercial Paper, which is a promissory note sold by a large organization with the minimum size usually set at $100,000, takes a maturity of between one day to several months to settle. Certificates of Deposit, which are securities issued by commercial banks to raise cash for loans and other purposes, have a maturity of from 6 months to 5 years and are sold at face value with interest paid at maturity. Treasury Bills, which are issued by governments in denominations to raise money, have maturities ranging from 13 weeks to one year. They are sold at discount with the full amount recovered at maturity. Bankers’ Acceptances, which are short term loans made to importers and exporters to allow them pay for products with the acceptance, have a maturity lasting to 180 days and can be redeemed by any holder.

All of these securities can be bought and sold in a money market. The conventional money market is basically an informal network of banks, brokers, dealer and financial institutions linked electronically. Therefore, there is no formal money market. The market provides an opportunities for companies to not only sell these securities, but to also invest in the short-term instruments.

Companies with short-term need for cash can sell securities or borrow funds on a short-term basis while those with excess cash can actually invest by buying the securities or giving these loans. Hence, if settlements are done same day, it means risks for high risk instruments is reduced and companies can satisfy their need for cash quickly.

Some of other money market participants include mutual funds that invest in different instruments, and individuals are able to access the securities market through these funds. Other options for individuals to participate in these markets include money market account with a bank. Some large corporations also participate in the markets through dealers. Companies and individuals can also purchase some instruments directly, for instance securities from banks.

With blockchain usage, collaboration hurdles, tracking and visibility of transactions between parties, sharing of data, errors, and trust hurdles may as well become a thing of the past.

The first obvious advantage of using blockchain for money markets is the digitization of these securities that must be issued in a digital form to be moved on blockchain. It must be remembered that blockchain tech is acting to facilitate trading and exchange of other securities such as shares and bonds and ordinary assets and property. At least that is not new ideology here. Putting money market securities on blockchain and hence digitization, is a good thing for improving efficiency for front-office and back-office processes as well as facilitating, tracking and expediting legal compliance. The fiat is also converted to digital or e-money to be used on blockchain. Probably, since these need to be done in a legal environment, a security token may act that role but that hasn’t been tested yet.

And since blockchain distributed ledger technology replicates and shares same data to all parties at the same time, it allows direct contact between all parties involved in the transaction. This also improves transparency of transactions.

But there is another shift as a result of use of blockchain in money market securities transactions: under traditional or conventional money market security transactions, banks act as central brokers to a transaction that involve moving the security between two parties. However, because it provides direct contact between parties, there is no need for a central broker. Reduction in the number of intermediaries not only improves efficiency but also cost.

During the testing by the three partners, a money market securities transaction worth €100,000 was to be processed between Continental and Siemens using blockchain technology. Continental was the issuer of the money market security and it was issued in the form of a euro-denominated electronic commercial paper as required by Luxembourg law. Siemens subscribed to this security as an investor while Commerzbank provided the Corda-based blockchain platform through its research and development unit known as Main Incubator.

The bank did not act as a central broker. Since it also has a e-money market license, it provided the legal structure and the digital money for direct trading of the money market security (based on e-money as financial collateral, “cash on ledger”). Legal advisory on the transaction was provided by corporate law firm GSK Stockmann. Instead of days it takes to process these kinds of transactions in conventional systems, the transaction was done in a matter of minutes.

The pilot testing by the three partners demonstrated the benefits of using blockchain platform for market securities including improved deal flexibility, efficiency and transparency.

Continental and Siemens said that the project is a major step toward application of blockchain in the trading of securities. The success also may pave way for application of blockchain by Continental and Siemens in their financial transactions as this was one of the main motivating factor for testing blockchain in this transaction.

Siemens’ Corporate Treasurer Peter Rathgeb said the blockchain platform, with its “significantly shorter throughput times and faster time-to-market,” showed the clear advantages of blockchain technology. He added that the key challenges include security and performance issues and legal issues such as need for consistent European standard and understanding of law on blockchain-based transactions.

Head of Finance & Treasury at Continental Stefan Scholz also said the project proved to be a success. The company said some of the advantages that could accrue in use of the blockchain in their Financial department include providing direct contact including with investors in short-term bonds, flexibility, efficiency, and enhanced transparency.

Roman Schmidt, Commerzbank’s divisional board member for capital market said blockchain can make capital market transactions quicker, more straightforward and more efficient for customers.

Originally published at www.cryptomorrow.com on February 22, 2019.

#blockchain #cryptocurrency #digitalmoney #securities #banking #finance

In fact, if you were running a small enterprise or business today, it would stand a 85% chance to fail due to cash flow problems even as majority of small businesses fail within the first five years. And cash flow is not same as profits: a business could record high daily profits but still have low cash flow and persistent cash flow problems. SMEs rely on a small number of customers and delayed payments and extensive settlement periods have serious consequences.

Delayed payments are those payments not done by or within the settlement period but for the purposes of this article, we will be exploring extended settlement periods as a factor of concern for SMEs. Here is the difference: most of business contracts today allow for sometime before the seller is paid and that’s what is called normal settlement period. If the buyer settles within that period, it is not delayed payment in normal circumstances. Otherwise, it is a delayed payment.

Through instant payment, use of blockchain and crypto by business parties within a business setting can obviously help in both cases — to reduce the settlement period or the need for waiting for payments and to eliminate the delays experienced beyond the settlement periods.

Cash flow affects decision making in an organization settings, for instance because it measures the ability of the company to pay its bills, with some businesses having bills to pay on a daily or weekly basis.

Read more on these here at Cryptomorrow.com

#cryptocurrency #Galaxys10 #altcoin #SouthKorea #Bitcoin #blockchain #crypto #banking #payments #tradefinance