COMPULSE definition: to compel | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples in American English

COMPULSE definition in American English | Collins English Dictionary

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compulse

Nanotargeting Risks: The Urgent Need for Better Privacy Protections

Your code smells because there are likely many instances where it could be edited or improved. Most of these smells are just hints of something that might be wrong. Therefore, they are not required to be fixed per se… (You should look into it, though.) Previous Code Smells You can find all the previous code smells (Part I - XLV) . here Let's continue... Code Smell 226 - Mixed Priorities Another crashed spacecraft. Another software problem TL;DR: Design and test the software. It is cheaper than the hardware Problems Fault Bijection Unexpected Defects Solutions Create accurate simulations Make software fault-tolerant Context crashed on the moon's surface on August 19, 2023. Luna-25 4 days before India’s soft landed on Moon's south pole. Chandrayaan-3 A revealed that the instructions shared a bus and were not prioritized correctly. forensic analysis Spacecrafts have a of software faults. long history Sample Code Wrong class TaskManager:
 def __init__(self):
 self.tasks = []

 def add_task(self, task, priority):
 self.tasks.append((task, priority))

 def execute_tasks(self):
 # No sorting

 for task, _ in self.tasks:
 task.execute()

class Task:
 def __init__(self, name):
 self.name = name

 def execute(self):
 print(f"Executing task: {self.name}")

task_manager = TaskManager()
highPriorityTask = Task("Slow down")
mediumPriorityTask = Task("Take Photos")
reviveKlaatu = Task("Klaatu barada nikto")

# unsorted
task_manager.add_task(mediumPriorityTask, 2)
task_manager.add_task(highPriorityTask, 1)
task_manager.add_task(reviveKlaatu, 3)

task_manager.execute_tasks() Right class TaskManager:
 def __init__(self):
 self.tasks = []

 def add_task(self, task, priority):
 self.tasks.append((task, priority))

 def execute_tasks(self):
 # Sort tasks by priority (high to low)
 self.tasks.sort(key=lambda x: x[1], reverse=True)

 for task, _ in self.tasks:
 task.execute()

class Task:
 def __init__(self, name):
 self.name = name

 def execute(self):
 print(f"Executing task: {self.name}")

task_manager = TaskManager()
highPriorityTask = Task("Slow down")
mediumPriorityTask = Task("Take Photos")
reviveKlaatu = Task("Klaatu barada nikto")

# unsorted
task_manager.add_task(mediumPriorityTask, 2)
task_manager.add_task(highPriorityTask, 1)
task_manager.add_task(reviveKlaatu, 3)

task_manager.execute_tasks() Detection Manual [x] This is a design smell Tags Reliability Conclusion Create software components and simulate real and not real conditions Relations Code Smell 198 - Hidden Assumptions More Info https://t.me/roscosmos_gk/11053?embedable=true https://asiatimes.com/2023/08/luna-25-crash-lands-russia-china-space-ambitions/?embedable=true Disclaimer Code Smells are my . opinion The Analytical Engine has no pretensions whatever to originate anything. It can do whatever we know how to order it to perform… But it is likely to exert an indirect and reciprocal influence on science itself. Ada Lovelace Software Engineering Great Quotes Code Smell 227 - Cowboy Coding Leave cowboys to Hollywood movies. TL;DR: Write code as a team programmer Problems Readability Unreliable code People Management Issues Lack of coordination Solutions Write professional code. Use declarative non-cryptic names. Context Cowboy coders don't follow best practices. They don't follow team suggestions. Cowboy coding is generally considered an unprofessional and risky approach to software development because it can lead to code that is hard to maintain and prone to errors. Cowboy Programmers are good people; however, . they cannot work in a group Sample Code Wrong # Very simple example 
# Compute the sum of two numbers without any structure or best practices.

num1 = input("Enter the first number: ")
num2 = input("Enter the second number: ")

# WARNNING!!!! Don't remove the line below !!!!!
# (Unpleasant comment)

res = num1 + num2 # (No data type checking or error handling)

print("The sum is: " + result) # (No validation or formatting)

# (No good names, no functions, no error handling, no testing, 
# no version control, and no structure.) Right def add_numbers():
 try:
 firstAddend = float(input("Enter the first number: "))
 secondAddend = float(input("Enter the second number: "))
 total = firstAddend + secondAddend
 return total
 except ValueError:
 print("Invalid input. Please enter valid numbers.")
 return None

def main():
 total = add_numbers()
 if total is not None:
 print("The sum is: {:.2f}".format(sum))

if __name__ == "__main__":
 main() Detection Manual [x] You can set environmental rules to prevent these coding practices and enforce team building. Exceptions Very small personal projects Tags Declarative Conclusion Software development is teamwork. Relations Code Smell 06 - Too Clever Programmer Code Smell 02 - Constants and Magic Numbers Code Smell 105 - Comedian Methods More Info https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy_coding?embedable=true https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/software-development-cowboy-coding-hakan-atbaş/ Credits Photo by on Taylor Brandon Unsplash The danger from computers is not that they will eventually get as smart as men, but that we will meanwhile agree to meet them halfway. Bernard Avishai Code Smell 228 - Multiple Classes per File More than one class is a mess. TL;DR: Follow the separation of concerns principle and file organization Problems Code Organization Coupling Autoloading problems Debugging Version control and merge conflicts Solutions Declare a single class per file Use name scoping Context In languages that declare classes using a file system, having one class per file is generally considered a best practice. This approach helps improve code organization and maintainability and reduces potential issues. You can organize namespaces into separate directories within your project structure. This way, you can maintain a logical and efficient codebase while avoiding the issues of declaring multiple classes in a single file. Sample Code Wrong <?

namespace MyNamespace;

class Class1 {
 public function sayHello() {
 echo "Hello from Class1!\n";
 }
}

class Class2 {
 public function sayHello() {
 echo "Hello from Class2!\n";
 }
} Right <?

namespace MyNamespace;

class Class1 {
 public function sayHello() {
 echo "Hello from Class1!\n";
 }
} <?

namespace MyNamespace;

class Class2 {
 public function sayHello() {
 echo "Hello from Class2!\n";
 }
} Detection Automatic [x] Many standards enforce this rule Tags Coupling Conclusion Keep your code organized, and follow known standards. Relations Code Smell 48 - Code Without Standards More Info https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namespace?embedable=true https://rules.sonarsource.com/java/RSPEC-1996/?embedable=true Credits Photo by on Marjan Blan Unsplash Without requirements or design, programming is the art of adding bugs to an empty text file. Louis Srygley Code Smell 229 - Red Tape You overcomplicate your code. TL;DR: Avoid Accidental complexity and bureaucracy Problems Accidental Complexity Readability Fault Bijection Solutions Assign the responsibilities to real-world objects using the . MAPPER Context A "red tape" code smell could relate to unnecessary complexity, bureaucracy, or excessive configuration that makes the codebase harder to understand or maintain. Sample Code Wrong class VotingSystem:
 def __init__(self, config):
 self.config = config

 def validate_voter(self, voter_id):
 if self.config['voter_verification_enabled']:
 # Code to verify the voter's identity goes here

 def cast_vote(self, voter_id, candidate):
 if self.config['voting_enabled']:
 # Code to record the vote goes here

 def generate_vote_report(self):
 if self.config['generate_report']:
 # Code to generate a voting report goes here

 def audit_voting_system(self):
 if self.config['audit_enabled']:
 # Code to perform an audit of the voting system goes here

 # ... other voting-related methods ...

# Usage
config = {
 'voter_verification_enabled': True,
 'voting_enabled': False,
 'generate_report': False,
 'audit_enabled': True
}

voting_system = VotingSystem(config)

# Voter validation, voting, report generation, 
# and auditing are handled based on the configuration. Right class VoterVerification:
 def verify_voter(self, voter_id):
 # Code to verify the voter's identity goes here

class VotingMachine:
 def cast_vote(self, voter_id, candidate):
 # Code to record the vote goes here

class VoteReporter:
 def generate_report(self):
 # Code to generate a voting report goes here

class VotingAuditor:
 def audit_voting_system(self):
 # Code to perform an audit of the voting system goes here

# Usage
voter_verification = VoterVerification()
voting_machine = VotingMachine()
vote_reporter = VoteReporter()
voting_auditor = VotingAuditor()

# Voter verification, vote casting, report generation, 
# and auditing are handled separately. Detection Semi-Automatic [x] Some tools can guess you are bloating your objects with unnecessary responsibilities. Tags Bloaters Conclusion The red tape code smell is evident as developers need to navigate the complex configuration to determine which features are active. This not only adds unnecessary complexity but also increases the likelihood of misconfigurations that could impact the integrity of your system. Relations Code Smell 54 - Anchor Boats Disclaimer Code Smells are my . opinion Credits Photo by on the blowup Unsplash A Fallacy of Software: If it works, and we don't change anything, it will keep working. Jessica Kerr Code Smell 230 - Schrödinger Code Your code is dead and alive. TL;DR: Look carefully for race conditions Problems Principle of Least Surprise Violation Race Conditions Solutions Avoid race conditions Avoid global variables Use proper synchronization Context Schrödinger code is code that can be in two different states at the same time, but the state of the code is not determined until it is executed. This can happen when the code contains a race condition, or when the code depends on the state of a global variable that can be changed by other threads or processes. Sample Code Wrong import threading

cats_alive = 0

def thread_1():
 cats_alive += 1

def thread_2():
 cats_alive -= 1

if cats_alive > 0:
 feedThem()

# The value of cats_alive is indeterminate, 
# so the code can be in either of the two states:
#
# 1. cats_alive > 0 and feedThem() is called.
# 2. cats_alive <= 0 and feedThem() is not called. Right import threading

lock = threading.Lock()
cats_alive = 0

def thread_1():
 with lock:
 cats_alive += 1

def thread_2():
 with lock:
 cats_alive -= 1

if cats_alive > 0:
 feedThem()

# With the lock, the two threads cannot access 
# the `cats_alive` variable at the same time.
# This means that the value of `cats_alive` is always determined, 
# and the program will not exhibit Schrödinger code behavior. Detection Manual [x] Make code reviews on concurrent code Tags Concurrency Globals Conclusion To avoid Schrödinger code, avoid race conditions and avoid depending on the state of global variables that can be changed by other threads or processes. If you need to use a global variable in your code, ensure it is correctly synchronized. Relations Code Smell 198 - Hidden Assumptions Code Smell 32 - Singletons Code Smell 60 - Global Classes Credits Photo by on Yerlin Matu Unsplash The last thing you wanted any programmer to do is mess with internal state Alan Kay Next week, 5 more smells.

How to Find the Stinky Parts of Your Code [Part XLVI]

আপনার কোডের দুর্গন্ধযুক্ত অংশগুলি কীভাবে সন্ধান করবেন [পার্ট XLVI]

So finden Sie die stinkenden Teile Ihres Codes [Teil XLVI]

Cómo encontrar las partes apestosas de su código [Parte XLVI]

Comment trouver les parties puantes de votre code [Partie XLVI]

अपने कोड के बदबूदार हिस्सों को कैसे खोजें [भाग XLVI]

コードの怪しい部分を見つける方法 [パート XLVI]

코드에서 불쾌한 부분을 찾는 방법 [XLVI부]

Como encontrar as partes fedorentas do seu código [Parte XLVI]

Как найти ненужные части вашего кода [Часть XLVI]

Kodunuzun Kokmuş Kısımlarını Nasıl Bulabilirsiniz [Bölüm XLVI]

Cách tìm những phần khó chịu trong mã của bạn [Phần XLVI]

如何找到代码中的臭部分 [第 XLVI 部分]

Whether you’ve just begun your journey to learn how to code or you’ve been paid to code for many years, you can and (likely) will face imposter syndrome. Unlike any other field, the nature of software development is fast-paced, fluid, and always in flux. It’s what makes building software so challenging, interesting, and fun. But that also means that you’re constantly faced with things you don’t know. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way around this. Even experienced developers know this feeling of inadequacy. But, we will try to understand this and give some ideas to comfort you and give you the push to overcome this obstacle. Things ALWAYS take longer than you thought. When you watch tutorials, you might have the impression that “good” developers work super fast. But more often than not, these developers have built the application already before. They have run into most issues before and know how to overcome them. Everyone is ALWAYS Googling. Even experienced devs can’t remember loads of stuff. You don’t use everything on a daily basis. So you forget things. And sometimes, it just doesn’t stick even if you Google it over and over again. Everyone is Struggling with “useless” problems. Even with years of experience, you’ll have a sufficient number of face-palm moments. You might work on something for days only to find out that you are using the wrong package or the wrong tool, and it’s okay. Seek Constructive Criticism Programmers should be receptive to constructive criticism. And, if no one gives criticism, they should seek input from their senior coworkers on what they could have done better. No one is ready. If you think that you will be ready, I would like to give this fact: in life, you will not be ready 100%. Of course, we all study/learn/practice programming, but no one will ever be ready for every situation, so make that fact comfort you a little about the reality you’re in How to overcome The impostor syndrome : Form a “peer group” with someone who is going through what you’re going through. It can be immensely helpful to be able to communicate your frustrations, failures, victories, or even just the day-to-day. You can listen and learn from what they’re going through. Get With Someone Who’s Doing The Same Thing / Join a Community : It’s okay to expose your ignorance. We all know it’s hard to appear ignorant in front of others (especially in front of your peers), but come on, swallow your pride, don’t take indirect routes, and just ask good questions. Be curious : Try to pick something you already know, let’s say React, for example, pick every resource you have about it and practice for a period of time. On the other hand, you should know that no one knows everything about React (even the people who created React itself), so it’s okay if you don’t know some things (those are not part of the basics, of course). Practice : When you’re writing code, make sure you understand how your code works and why it’s structured in the way that it is. It’s easy to fall into what I like to call “the braindead copy-paste trap” when you start copy-pasting code, following existing patterns, and “making it work” without thinking through your choices. Ask why it is built this way, why not…? Make Decisions Consciously : Sometimes you find yourself in a situation when everything looks obscure, and you feel you’re not enough for the task they gave you, but try to think with this approach: Be aware of the situation you’re in I will break down this feature into small pieces and try to do them one by one. I work hard and care about the quality of the code I produce, so I will do what it takes to make that happen. I will do what can be done. If I’m stuck, I will take a deep breath and try a different approach. If nothing works, I will ask for help. I always give my updates on the feature, always clear and always cool. : The level you have reached is because of the effort, passion, and hard work you’ve put into becoming the developer you are today. Regardless of years of experience, there will always be people more experienced than you and more things you don’t know. That doesn’t mean you’re not where you’re supposed to be. Give yourself the credit you deserve Conclusion Hopefully, these examples were enough to convince you that (most) developers are only humans. Take your time, use your time wisely, and let time give you the experience. Sources: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-overcome-imposter-syndrome-software-engineer-ricardo-morales-/ https://profy.dev/article/programmer-imposter-syndrome https://www.ironhack.com/us/en/blog/how-to-overcome-imposter-syndrome-as-a-junior-developer https://www.codementor.io/blog/imposter-syndrome-deypemtirw Also published . here

Dealing With Imposter Syndrome in the Software Development Field

Introduction: Data engineering has evolved into specialized fields like DataOps and VectorOps to address the challenges of managing data and vector embeddings, respectively. As large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4 emerge, managing high-dimensional data structures becomes increasingly important. LangChain, an LLM-powered application development framework, integrates with DataOps and VectorOps processes and utilizes vector databases to create data-aware, interactive applications. DataOps: Streamlining Data Management and Processes: DataOps focuses on enhancing collaboration, integration, and automation of data flows across organizations. Implementing DataOps practices promotes data accuracy, consistency, and accessibility, which are vital for data-aware applications using LLMs. Key DataOps technologies include Apache Kafka for real-time data streaming, Apache Airflow for workflow management, and Apache NiFi for data routing and transformation. References: https://medium.com/codex/5-steps-to-implementing-a-successful-dataops-practice-f553effd7367 https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2022/01/24/how-to-implement-a-successful-dataops-strategy-and-why-it-matters/?sh=56e354d5e87c https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dataops-practical-understanding-implementation-taaha-khan-/ VectorOps: Tackling High-Dimensional Data Challenges: VectorOps specializes in managing vector embeddings, a critical component of LLMs. Traditional databases struggle with high-dimensional data structures, whereas vector databases excel in handling them. Integrating VectorOps with DataOps processes enables efficient large-scale vector embedding management, paving the way for innovative applications using LLMs. Popular vector database technologies used in VectorOps include FAISS, Milvus, and Pinecone. References: https://thenewstack.io/vector-databases-long-term-memory-for-artificial-intelligence https://www.pinecone.io/learn/vector-database/ https://techgenix.com/rise-of-vector-databases/ LangChain: Building Data-Aware LLM Applications: LangChain facilitates the development of applications that connect to data sources, interact with their environment, and utilize the power of LLMs. It offers various modules, such as Models, Prompts, Memory, Indexes, Chains, and Agents. The Indexes module focuses on structuring documents for optimal LLM interaction and retrieval, making it an excellent candidate for VectorOps and vector database integration. LangChain supports integration with LLMs like GPT-4, BERT, and RoBERTa. """
Example of creating a chat bot with GPT-Index & LangChain.
"""

from llama_index import SimpleDirectoryReader, GPTListIndex, readers, GPTSimpleVectorIndex, LLMPredictor, PromptHelper
from langchain import OpenAI
import sys
import os
from IPython.display import Markdown, display


def construct_index(directory_path):
 # set maximum input size
 max_input_size = 4096
 # set number of output tokens
 num_outputs = 2000
 # set maximum chunk overlap
 max_chunk_overlap = 20
 # set chunk size limit
 chunk_size_limit = 600 

 # define LLM
 llm_predictor = LLMPredictor(llm=OpenAI(temperature=0.5, model_name="text-davinci-003", max_tokens=num_outputs))
 prompt_helper = PromptHelper(max_input_size, num_outputs, max_chunk_overlap, chunk_size_limit=chunk_size_limit)
 
 documents = SimpleDirectoryReader(directory_path).load_data()
 
 index = GPTSimpleVectorIndex(
 documents, llm_predictor=llm_predictor, prompt_helper=prompt_helper
 )

 index.save_to_disk('index.json')

 return index

def ask_ai():
 index = GPTSimpleVectorIndex.load_from_disk('index.json')
 while True: 
 query = input("What do you want to ask? ")
 response = index.query(query, response_mode="compact")
 display(Markdown(f"Response: {response.response}")) References: https://python.langchain.com/en/latest/index.html https://github.com/hwchase17/langchain https://github.com/gkamradt/langchain-tutorials/blob/main/LangChain Cookbook Part 2 - Use Cases.ipynb Integrating DataOps, VectorOps, and LangChain: DataOps, VectorOps, and LangChain integration create powerful applications that combine efficient data management, high-dimensional data processing, and LLM capabilities. Some key advantages of this integration include: Enhanced similarity search: LangChain's integration with vector databases and VectorOps enables efficient near-neighbor matching, providing comprehensive results beyond traditional keyword-based searches. Scalability: DataOps and VectorOps processes ensure the efficient handling of large-scale vector embeddings, making the framework ideal for managing data in the era of LLMs and other complex models. """
As described here: https://python.langchain.com/en/latest/modules/indexes/vectorstores/examples/pinecone.html
"""

import pinecone
from langchain.embeddings.openai import OpenAIEmbeddings
from langchain.text_splitter import CharacterTextSplitter
from langchain.vectorstores import Pinecone
from langchain.document_loaders import TextLoader

loader = TextLoader('../../../state_of_the_union.txt')
documents = loader.load()
text_splitter = CharacterTextSplitter(chunk_size=1000, chunk_overlap=0)
docs = text_splitter.split_documents(documents)

embeddings = OpenAIEmbeddings()

# initialize pinecone
pinecone.init(
 api_key=PINECONE_API_KEY, # find at app.pinecone.io
 environment=PINECONE_ENV # next to api key in console
)

index_name = "langchain-demo"

docsearch = Pinecone.from_documents(docs, embeddings, index_name=index_name)

# if you already have an index, you can load it like this
# docsearch = Pinecone.from_existing_index(index_name, embeddings)

query = "What did the president say about Ketanji Brown Jackson"
docs = docsearch.similarity_search(query)

print(docs[0].page_content) Flexibility: LangChain allows users to perform searches based on high-level descriptions rather than relying on specific keywords or metadata classifications, enabling more versatile applications. Reference: https://mattboegner.com/knowledge-retrieval-architecture-for-llms/ https://simonwillison.net/2023/Jan/13/semantic-search-answers/ https://www.codingthesmartway.com/unlocking-the-power-of-llms-with-langchain-a-beginners-guide/ https://python.langchain.com/en/latest/modules/models/llms/integrations.html Conclusion: By focusing on DataOps, VectorOps, and LangChain, developers can create advanced, data-driven applications that leverage the power of LLMs and vector embeddings. Efficient data management through DataOps, coupled with VectorOps' expertise in high-dimensional data processing, unlocks the full potential of LLMs like GPT-4, BERT, and RoBERTa. LangChain serves as the bridge between these two fields, enabling developers to build innovative applications that can revolutionize industries and reshape the future of data-driven solutions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO699Szp82M&embedable=true As the need for data-aware applications and large-scale vector embedding management grows, the synergistic integration of DataOps, VectorOps, and LangChain will play a critical role in shaping the next generation of data-driven applications. By keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in these fields and embracing cutting-edge technologies, developers can stay ahead of the curve and lead the way toward a data-centric future.

The New Data Engineering Landscape: DataOps, VectorOps, and LangChain

Even though cryptocurrency is all about anonymity, in most cases, it is far from the truth. All blockchain transactions are recorded on a blockchain and thus, can be viewed by anyone. And if one really wants, linking an identity to a crypto address is also possible. The oldest and, probably, the most prominent example of how it can be done happened in 2011 when the FBI shut down a famous darknet marketplace Silk Road and seized over 144,000 Bitcoins. A former prosecutor and investor at a venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz Kathryn Haun said that blockchain is “digital breadcrumbs. There’s a trail law enforcement can follow rather nicely”. Her statement follows another case when the Colonial Pipeline computer systems were shut down in a ransom attack. The attackers requested a ransom of 75 Bitcoins. The FBI could track and recover 63.7 BTC. that “the ransom was tracked and recouped so easily and fast because attackers used cryptocurrency. If it were done via a bank account, it would take months or years to get records from a bank, especially if a bank is abroad”. Ms. Haun added later So, crypto is not as private as most people believe. But can it be told about any cryptocurrency out there? Definitely not. There are multiple cryptocurrencies that claim to be 100% private. It means that transactions within the networks cannot be tracked or wallet addresses are changed in a way to make it impossible to link them to people. Among many privacy coins, Monero and ZCash are the most popular ones. A Difficult History and More Concerns with New Bans Cryptocurrency, especially private coins, has a complicated history. They have been used for many illegal activities regulators say. But interestingly, the most recent data indicates that Bitcoin is still the asset of choice for asset laundering. Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-arent-privacy-coins-gaining-more-traction-121-8-henri-arslanian/?trk=public_post But we all understand why regulators don’t have anything against Bitcoin - in the Bitcoin blockchain, transactions can be tracked. Now, let’s return to privacy coins. , the major private crypto coin based on market capitalization, is not supported on many exchanges. Monero New events such as the ban on Tornado Cash and the arrest of its developer raised more concerns about the future of private coins. For now, some countries, such as Australia and South Korea, prohibit exchanges to support swaps with private coins. In Japan, privacy coins are illegal. The tightening of crypto regulation and implementation of stricter requirements for KYC/ procedures may make it increasingly difficult for exchanges to offer swaps in private coins. Exchanges will have to comply with the regulation, and, for example, Monero was created to circumvent any KYC procedures. AML All these details make people think about whether privacy coins have any future indeed, and whether it isn’t too risky to invest in these coins. Do Privacy Coins Have the Future? Yes, they do. Even though they may face significant difficulties to evolve. Let me explain though. Now, after the case of Tornado Cash, the U.S. Treasury Department made it clear that an effort to anonymize your transactions can be regarded as violating sanctions against trading with the enemy. Even though privacy coins weren’t mentioned anywhere, it is clear that they won’t be welcomed (they aren’t welcomed by regulators even now), and the next step may be made against them. What step can it be? Well, any, including the possibility of announcing them illegal, just like it happened with Tornado Cash. Why is this step not made yet? I believe the main reason is the fact that privacy coins are not very comfortable to use for now. The liquidity level is low, the demand is also not high compared to the main cryptocurrencies. They aren’t making waves for now. While Tornado Cash did so, and the number of deposits and withdrawals was growing. Source: Dune Analytics As soon as privacy coins start growing in popularity, regulators are going to do something about it. This is one of the main reasons why if you consider investing in a privacy coin, be ready for consequences. You may not be able to withdraw the coin or swap it for another one in the future. It is quite possible that you may even be accused of financing terrorism or whatever and go to jail if somebody finds out that you’re holding a privacy coin. Another difficulty is the use of privacy coins. However, I believe that privacy coins are the future of the financial system. Not the good old Bitcoin and even not Ethereum. Ethereum will be used to host multiple dApps, and so on. But privacy coins will rule the world of finance. Now, we aren’t ready yet to enjoy all the benefits they offer. But with the adoption of Web 3.0 and thus, the arrival of a really decentralized web, things may change. In the end, anonymity is one of the priorities that cryptocurrency gives.

Are Privacy Coins the Future?

¿Son las monedas de privacidad el futuro?

Les pièces de confidentialité sont-elles l'avenir ?

क्या गोपनीयता सिक्के भविष्य हैं?

プライバシーコインは未来ですか?

As moedas de privacidade são o futuro?

Tiền bảo mật có phải là tương lai không?

隐私币是未来吗？

The exploitation of the Pulse VPN application to gain full control of the VPN server. Dumping credentials from the VPN server to spray across the Cloud services for pivoting and other on pr Dear readers, this is on DhaneshDodia another side of the screen and I hope you’re doing good on your side of the screen. Sit tight for the next few minutes you’re gonna have fun😜. The company name is confidential so let’s call our target redacted.com and RTO (Red Team Operation). DhaneshDhanesh Dodia The Red Team engagement highlights real-world risks by simulating an attacker who is targeting an organization. Hence, the first week of activities was mostly conducted to identify the internet-facing assets by using multiple tools and approaches. As this Red Team engagement was conducted during the initial period of COVID it was performed remotely. The company literally belonged to a different country. In this RTO the goal was to get access to confidential business data and successfully exfiltrate it under the radar. During the Recon phase, I noted that the company was using a Hybrid Multi-Cloud model infrastructure, where few assets were present on the cloud and few on-premise servers. Hence, I decided to follow the ‘Cloud Matrix’ and the general ‘Matrix for Enterprise’ approach. Scope & Background: : The RTO was carried out leveraging the standard framework and framework. Approach MITRE ATT&CK Cloud Matrix Cloud Matrix Matrix for Enterprise : During the first week, I started analyzing and verifying the information. I initiated active scans using the on the confirmed scope and started figuring out the potential critical/high-risk vulnerabilities. During this phase, I found multiple critical vulnerabilities on (Special shout-out to 👏) that could allow me to gain access to the company’s internet-facing servers and employee systems. At this point, I had numerous options to proceed further, we chose the best method based on dependencies. The way I chose didn’t require the company’s employees to click a link or download software, and hence dependencies were taken care of. I decided to use to be the first door of opportunity for us to gain access to the company’s infrastructure. Reconnaissance Red-Teaming-Toolkit vpn.redacted.com Orange Tsai vpn.redacted.com : Choosing the shortest path I started an attack on , the primary virtual private network of the target company. Having a known vulnerability in the application, it was possible to gain complete access to the server. While the server was under our control, I decided to extract information such as User Credentials, Email Credentials, Outlook, SharePoint, Word, OneDrive, Microsoft teams, Microsoft 365, and other user credentials. Through some post exploitation tricks like session harvesting, I ended up having the Administrator’s account of the VPN application. Making use of the administrator account, I found all the credentials of each and every registered on the VPN. Exploitation vpn.redacted.com Pulse VPN Further based on the usernames found from the VPN application server and information gathered from O365, I brute-forced into ess.redacted.com, which was the HR portal, and revealed every single piece of information about the employees. At this point, I had enough access to perform any of the following actions on the company’s network infrastructure. Access any user’s EmailAccess any user’s Microsoft 365 AccountAccess most of the User’s HR details such as Salary, Designations, etc. Send mail to anyone on behalf of the company’s employee Stop/ Delete/ Modify services on the VPN ServerModify VPN server in such a way that once any user tries connecting to the VPN, he allows us to gain access to his/ her system ultimately send Malware to other employees from a compromised account and much more. : During the passive reconnaissance phase, I found out that the Pulse Secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) service was hosted on the vpn.redacted.com domain. Proof-of-Concept This specific version of Pulse VPN had multiple known vulnerabilities which are quoted with their CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) as follows: 1. Pre-Auth Arbitrary File Reading — CVE-2019–11510 2. Post-Auth Cross-Site Scripting — CVE-2019–11507 3. Post-Auth(admin) Command Injection — CVE-2019–11539 Using the Pre-Auth Arbitrary File Reading exploit we were able to read sensitive data present on the VPN server. I ran the exploit multiple times during the day to collect credentials. Finally after sorting and saving the unique list that contained +50 credentials of different employees of that company. The list also contained Administrator credentials using which I was able to successfully log in. I made use of Post-Auth (admin) Command Injection — CVE-2019–11539 Vulnerability. Encoded Command Injection Payload /usr/sbin/tcpdump -d -r’$x=”ls /”,system$x# 2>/data/runtime/tmp/tt/setcookie.thtml.ttc /dev/null 2>&1 Decoded Command Injection Payload tcpdump: $x=”ls /”,system$x#: No such file or directory The about payload generates a valid . at the page for us to execute our command and to execute the same I require to navigate to the endpoint. cgi setcookie.thtml.ttc /setcookie.thtml.ttc Boom !! At this point, I had full control over the VPN server 😸 Exploiting Office 365 : As we had noted that the company is using O365 for mail communications, one drive, and share-point in their day-to-day work. We simply decided to brute force leveraging the collected credentials and utilized . Lateral Movement O365spray Further, I noted that the different employees reused similar passwords for their respective accounts and hence I decided to make a comprehensive list of emails and passwords to brute force. YES !!! that worked now I had access to +300 O365 accounts. At this point, I had access to the CEO, CTO, CRO, Network Admin, our SPOC, HR Admin so on and so forth. Access to one of the employee’s O365 account Moving ahead I already hold a lot of information about the company’s infrastructure and with that, I decided to break the HR portal. I navigated to the HR portal and noticed that the login fields expected ‘Employee-ID’ and ‘Password’. At this point, we were not aware of the Employee-ID, so I decided to have a look into the O365 mailbox of a few employees because generally, HR keeps sending emails to their employees. YES !!! I found a few Employee-ID’s and also understood the sequential pattern of Employee-ID. Again I created a comprehensive list of Employee-ID and passwords (Prior created password list was leveraged). Successful Login Response BOOM !!! 😸 I now had access to the Admin account and multiple other accounts with lots and lots of juicy information. : In this particular RTO there are a few key areas that are generic for all mid and small-sized companies: Key Learning & Final Thoughts Maintain an accurate list of asset inventory, identify internet-facing endpoints, and if any asset is added recursively add the same into the asset inventory list. Keep all the internet-facing assets up-to-date with security patches. Enable Two Factor Authentication and for stakeholders Multi-Factor-Authentication. Follow a strict password policy that forces the user to change the password every 45–60 days at least. Provide training to employees to keep them aware of general Cyber Crimes happening at an individual and at the organization level. Monitor your company’s brand across social media platforms, and monitor the company’s presence in data breaches. If all this is taken care a proper timely basis then 70% of the problem is already solved. Yes, the rest of the problem could be an insider threat, and hence the RTO was continued for the internal network environment post government gave go-ahead guidelines to come out of the home. However, the internal part is not covered in this blog. Thank you readers for holding patience and reading this long story, I hope you all liked it 😃

A tale of Red Team Operation (RTO) to hack a company remotely & pivot across the Cloud assets 

During my time as a (GDSC) Lead, a lot of my fellow students who were just starting out with various tech-related concepts often approached me with various problems. Google Developer Student Clubs A lot of them were in the form of "I just got started with technology x. How do I get started working on / completing projects or applying for jobs? I feel like I still suck at it, and have imposter syndrome." How can an absolute beginner be a fake / an imposter? Imposter syndrome had become a very common term, especially on , that everyone thought the difficulties they encountered when starting out were signs of imposter syndrome. It's very likely people starting out might have Twitter beginner syndrome instead. A few clarifications: My intended definition of a beginner - someone just getting started with tech (or any other similar concept), most likely still in the tutorial phase, most likely just before or just after getting their first tech role. The intended goal of this article - help beginners separate (or be aware of) the normal beginners' fears & difficulties from imposter syndrome. Why you might not have imposter syndrome as a beginner. Let’s talk about it. What is Imposter Syndrome? is the overwhelming feeling that you don't deserve your success and accomplishments. You become convinced that you're not as intelligent, creative, or talented as you may seem or people may see you to be. Imposter Syndrome You suspect that your achievements are down to , good timing, or just being "in the right place at the right time." One of your biggest fears is that one day you'll be exposed as a . luck fraud You may feel that you need to work harder because of your perceived inadequacies, to avoid being "unmasked." This may even lead to further success and recognition – and feeling like an even bigger fraud. Beginner Syndrome Learning to do anything worthwhile when you’re just starting out is . Freaking out about not knowing anything is totally normal, and every budding beginner feels . hard overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of all that they don’t know These signals are actually just hints that we're just not yet that good at what we are trying to do. This is not this is the reality for almost anyone starting out. Imposter Syndrome, Those feelings of inadequacy are just “beginner’s fear.” Trying something new can induce so much anxiety that it causes many to quit something they may have dreamed of starting for years. Not knowing how/where to start, how to catch up to the experts, things feeling very difficult, e.t.c - All this is normal for a beginner. Impossible for Beginners to Have Imposter Syndrome An actual imposter’s sole goal is to be what they’re not. They hide behind a mask, and they base their strategy on deceit and dishonesty. In addition, experiencing imposter syndrome means you have accomplished something in the specific area you are experiencing it in. Most of us feel like we’re imposters, but we’re just beginners, we’re just starting out. Imposter syndrome is more of “somebody who doesn’t feel like they know what they are expected to know” and beginner syndrome is “not knowing much and not being expected by others to know much”, . technically impossible to be an imposter Imposter syndrome usually shows up in the middle, and beginner syndrome in the complete beginning of The chart. Dunning-Kruger effect The chart explains how the less someone knows about the topic, the more confident (and sometimes arrogant) they are about their understanding of it (this comes right after beginner’s syndrome). Imposter syndrome describes the opposite: it manifests when people who are experts on a topic do not feel confident in their understanding and show modesty. While it is common for us to experience such feelings, they’re signs that we are often unable to accurately assess our own competence. Note that in the beginning, both confidence and competence are very low. This is what encompasses beginner’s syndrome. To Beginners “ Nobody tells this to people who are beginners. I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple [of] years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it’s normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. .” It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take a while. It’s normal to take a while. You’ve just gotta fight your way through ~ Ira Glass Conclusion All beginners should realize that there is a tonne of stuff they don't know, their confidence is low and this is not a sign of imposter syndrome. However, they are also not expected to know that much and will typically not be punished for not knowing. The easiest way to deal with the above problems is to be self-aware, practice, be dedicated and enough to overcome the obstacles (that almost all beginners do encounter). work hard More reading: https://www.wisdomgeek.com/self-help/life-tips/the-beginner-syndrome https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/imposter-syndrome-incompetence-how-do-you-know-amber-naslund https://rachsmith.com/i-dont-have-imposter-syndrome https://www.verywellmind.com/imposter-syndrome-and-social-anxiety-disorder-4156469 Thank you for your time. Enjoyed the article? Find similar content on my personal blog at: https://paulonteri.com/thoughts Editor’s Note: Although Imposter Syndrome is , neither condition seems to appear in the acknowledged by the American Psychological Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5).

Feeling Insecure When You First Start Something Does Not Mean You Have Imposter Syndrome

Imagine you have a magic book and there are people around the world who also have a copy of this exact magic book; now, everyone can write into that book. If you write something into the book, it appears in all other copies of the book, around the world, pretty much instantly. Nobody, not even you, can erase what you wrote into that book or what someone else wrote into that book. That's basically blockchain technology, on which Bitcoin, Ethereum, and all other cryptocurrencies are based. Bitcoin, for example, uses the magic book to log transactions of the virtual currency "bitcoin". You'd basically write into the magic book "I give Cathy 1 bitcoin". The book then checks through all the entries of any entries of me having bitcoin in the first place and if so, sends the intended 1 to Cathy. Now Cathy has an entry in the magic book and now it knows she has some bitcoin too, so if she tries to send one, the magic book can confirm. Ethereum goes further, here you can basically write small "self-executing" programs that can't be deleted. So with our book analogy, you could write into the book "I bet 1 ETH with Amy that the weather on May the 2nd is sunny and nice", and include a data link to Google Weather or similar which the program can check. You pay a small fee to deploy the program. The code then keeps getting executed on thousands of computers worldwide. If it actually rains on May the 2nd, the program sends 1 ETH from you to Amy's wallet. Since anyone can check the code of the program, Amy doesn't have to trust me, the creator of the program, she can check my code for herself. Also, the program can't be suddenly deleted (so I can't just quit the bet after looking at the forecast on May the 1st). So Ethereum is basically a giant, coordinated decentralized swarm of individual computers connected to each other on the web where anybody can deploy his mini-programs (called smart contracts) for a small fee. Now imagine someone asks you how bitcoin or Ethereum or any cryptocurrency transactions work or how blockchain works, you can use this (over) simplified example : 1 - Alice wants to send 1 eth to Bob 2 - Alice uses her digital wallet and provides her public key (address), the transaction amount (1 eth) and Bob’s public key (address). 3 - the transaction is signed with Alice’s private key. 4 - the transaction is sent via a node of the network to a pool of signed transactions. 5 - miners (POW) and validators (POS) pick the transaction and append it to other previously validated transactions still waiting in the pool in order to form a block. 6 - the block is signed cryptographically and added (mined) to the blockchain 7 - the blockchain is updated and all the miners and validators download the new blockchain 8 - Bob receives his 1 eth payment The blockchain is a distributed database where all the new data is appended to the previously entered data with no possibility of alteration or suppression. Once something is in the blockchain, it's there forever, that's why blockchain can be used for tracking, supervision, verification, and auditing of data. Also published on: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tldr-blockchain-transactions-jalel-tounsi

Explaining Blockchain in 550 Words

Zoom has seen a mind-blowing boom in the number of users during the pandemic. . Hardly anybody was surprised, let alone worried. Why would we? Zoom has become a synonym for work-from-home. Let’s jump on a Zoom call is still one of the most commonly used lines these days. Zoom went from 10 million daily users in December 2019 to 300 million daily users in April 2020 What could possibly go wrong? Zooming is blooming. Right? Mama Said, "Zoom You Out" I stumbled upon a with an axing title: “Zoom-Call Gaffes Led to Someone Getting Axed, 1 in 4 Bosses Say.” Bloomberg article According to the results of a survey conducted by Vyopta Inc., which included “200 executives at the vice president level or higher at companies with at least 500 employees,” nearly 25% of employees got fired. Why?! “For slipping up during a video or audio conference,” and “for gaffes made in virtual meetings.” Wait! What? What in the world do you need to do during a Zoom call or any other virtual meeting or conference to get fired? It turns out that “mortal-virtual-sins” include “joining a call late, having a bad Internet connection, accidentally sharing sensitive information, and of course, not knowing when to mute yourself.” Why So Zoomerious? I’d been working remotely for almost ten years when the pandemic struck. I lost count of how many people I’ve hired directly or through my freelance platform goLance. Yes, I had to fire some of them because they left me with no other choice. Yes, sometimes I had to use Zoom or some other app to deliver the bad news directly and in real-time. No, a virtual call wasn’t my only option, but it’s better to talk than write a “Dear John” email, don’t you think? I’ve never fired anyone because of Zoom “slip-ups.” Don’t we all live and work in the real world, whatever is that supposed to mean nowadays? There was a baby crying loud in the middle of a meeting with my staff. I asked a proud dad, a member of our team, to introduce an adorable noisemaker. The baby joined and stayed throughout a meeting in her father’s arms. There was another team member who kept forgetting to hit the mute button when she wasn’t talking. The background noise was deafening as if she was calling from the busiest construction site in the world. Did she get fired? Did she get sanctioned? Yes, of course, “severely sanctioned.” For the next meeting, the whole team pretended that there was something wrong with her mic. It lasted for a couple of hilarious minutes. Since then, we’ve never had to remind someone to mute themselves. I have a thousand of these Zoom gaffe stories to share. Nobody got “zoomed.” The Virtual Reflection of Someone’s Real Imperfection I still remember how the pre-pandemic world used to look, especially when it comes to business. If you are a true professional there’s no app that can make you “embrace the dark side.” Are all of these Zoom gaffes and slip-ups some kind of “revolt?” I don’t know. Maybe it’s time to talk openly about it with your bosses, colleagues, and employees. Are you Zooming too much? Again, why don’t you discuss it and come up with a win-win solution? It never crossed my mind that Zoom or any other similar app would become a Terminator that’s eliminating instead of boosting jobs. What can I say? Either behave in front of a camera or find a boss who isn’t a Zoomaniac. I’m an optimist. I still believe that one day, we will look back at our virtual gaffes and slip-ups, and laugh. That’s all virtual folks. Time for me to jump on another Zoom call. Stay safe, and stay focused. This article was also published at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/has-zoom-become-wfh-jobs-killer-michael-brooks

Has Zoom Made Us "Embrace the Dark Side" of Humanity?

In the spirit of understanding what you (want to) invest in before doing so, I will now attempt to help you better understand what blockchains really are about in a very way. beginner-friendly An Overview of Blockchains In very simple terms, the blockchain is a data structure where transactions or data are stored. Each block in the chain contains a unique piece of data or information. These blocks combine into a complete chain, and work like a giant digital ledger (collection of accounts in which transactions are recorded). At a higher-level, blockchains are made up of a network of computers (or nodes, as we call them) that are essentially public databases of transactions where everyone can add to, or view, at any time. Instead of the data residing on a single centralized server, the data is copied across thousands and thousands of nodes worldwide, allowing each node access to this database of transactions. This is essentially what gives blockchains their nature. decentralized At a lower-level, and within each blockchain, transactions are compiled into data-holding vehicles known as “blocks”. The consecutive string of every block ever executed makes up a blockchain: a distributed database of chronologically ordered transactions. This is what a blockchain would look like. Source: www.coinmonks.com If you are very confused at this point, don’t give up just yet — I will draw some parallels to the real world in the next paragraphs to help you better understand what the blockchain really is, so read on! Demystifying the Blockchain To help you better understand what a blockchain really is all about, (think of all the collaborative projects that you have worked on in Google Sheets!) that everyone and anyone can gain to. This means that anyone and everyone on the Internet can all the transactions recorded on this sheet because it has no access requirements for read-access. think of the blockchain as a giant and shared Google Excel Sheet read-access view The blockchain can be thought of as a giant Google Sheet of multiple transactions. Source: https://stackoverflow.com/ For to the document (if you want to add transactions onto the document, and not just view), however, a more complicated process would be required. Because and can gain access to this document, it will not be safe for of them to get edit-access without a proper system in place to discourage malicious actors. edit-access everyone anyone all If this were the case, anyone can just edit the document in their favor for personal gain, and/or to cause chaos and confusion, since any given change will be reflected across all the computers that are connected to this document. So how do we because of how accessible it is to anyone and everyone? foster trust within a system where users can’t trust each other Any transaction that is added onto the Google sheet has to be agreed upon by the users in the network (on the document) first. In other words, the whole network of users must first come to a , before any transactions can be added to the document. Only after everyone on the network has first all the proposed new transactions, can they be added to the document, by everyone of course. all consensus checked through if approved So now you may be wondering — how on earth do we do this without a central, or intermediary, party to negotiate and liaise between users in the network? This is done via something called a , that all blockchains will have. This ‘consensus mechanism’ is something that I will go through in-depth in the next article (you can check it out ), so having a general understanding of this concept will suffice for now: that there is a mechanism in-built into all blockchains to help their network of users verify, and come to consensus (through voting) on, the new transactions being added onto the document. consensus mechanism here Visual representation of a consensus mechanism. Source: www.linkedin.com/pulse/ Characteristics of Blockchains From all the above, we realise that there is also , because blockchains are self-sufficient in their functionalities, thanks in large part to consensus mechanisms. no need for a central entity to help with anything We also realise that there is , because no one will be able to delete this shared document off that has access to this sheet — there will simply be too many to track. no one singular party that can control this Google sheet or censor it every single computer Let’s say someone successfully deletes this excel sheet from 1000 computers, there will be 1000 more that still have access to it! It is practically impossible to delete this document, control this document in the way you want to, or stop people from getting access to it in one way or another. Therefore, blockchains can be construed as or distributed ledgers, where power is , and is not . Concomitantly, they also become . decentralized distributed and diffused across various entities focused in the hands of a few censor-proof The Google Sheet also ensures that no one can tamper with the transaction histories without others knowing, because once again — everyone having access to this same document will mean full . If someone changes a certain number on the sheet, everyone will be able to see. If that change is in the spirit of maliciousness, everyone else can reject that change by doing a simple on it. transparency control-Z Extrapolated to the idea of a blockchain, this reveals two key characteristics of the blockchain: and (you can’t change things on it as and when you please because other people will know, and they will likely reject it). tamper-evident immutability From all the above — we learn that most blockchains will have that prevent them from being controlled or abused by a central point of power. They are: 5 key properties Decentralized Censor-proof Transparent Tamper-evident Immutable Why the need for Blockchains (or Distributed Systems)? A decentralized Google Sheet (Blockchain) stands in that only central entity has access to. direct contrast to a centralized Google Sheet one For example, all banks also have a ledger, or Google Sheet, on which they track and record transactions. The difference here is that the banks are the parties who have edit-access to the excel sheet. will have access to this Google Sheet document at all — not even ‘view’ or ‘edit’ access (minus view access for your own transactions, which represent a minute portion of the entire document)! only No one else Let’s take a look at how such a centralized system may play out, by following the story of two hardworking wage-earners, Alice and Bob. If Alice wants to send Bob some money through the bank, the bank is the only one taking the money from Alice’s account, sending it into Bob’s account, then updating the excel sheet. We are also unable to see the whole excel sheet, only a small part of it that concerns us (our own bank account). If the bank wants to do anything malicious like cheat Alice and Bob’s hard-earned money by routing the money from Alice to themselves instead, no one will be able to stop them from doing so. Heck, no one may even about the malicious act, or be able to prove it! know Or, let’s say the bank doesn’t like Bob for some reason. They want to stop the money from reaching him. They could — by whatever justifications they are able to come up with — freeze this transaction such that it doesn’t reach Bob’s account. No one will be able to have a bigger say with regard to this, than the bank! . Only they have the ultimate veto power They could even freeze Bob’s entire account if they wanted to, so that Bob can’t even access the rest of his funds. This is the problem with centralized systems, and is what blockchains are trying to counteract and subvert. Cryptocurrencies To recap from the previous article (if you haven’t read it, you can access it ): cryptocurrencies, on the other hand, refer to that can be used to buy and sell goods, services, or property — just like what you do with real world currency! Think of them like your SGD, USD etc., just a digital and unregulated version of them. here digital stores of value For example, when you want to buy a cup of coffee from a store, you will use your SGD or USD to for it. You will take out your notes or coins (currency), and pass them to the cashier at the counter, in order to trade for your cup of coffee. This is the function of currencies — exchange stores of value that can be exchanged for things that you want to get or consume. This is exactly what cryptocurrencies are too, just that now, this currency no longer has a physical manifestation. There are no more physical notes and coins; cryptocurrencies are purely digital, and exist only in the virtual world where you will have to use applications to exchange them for a good or service. Their main purpose as a store of value, however, has not changed. Cryptocurrencies as digital currencies. Source: www.cio.com These digital currencies are cryptographically secured (I will elaborate on this further in future articles) against fraudulent practices, and often are because of the ultimate goal of decentralization, privacy and security within the cryptocurrency world. not issued or controlled by any centralized authority In sum, cryptocurrencies have that differentiates them from the normal currencies we are so used to. Cryptocurrencies are: 3 key properties Decentralized Private (pseudonymous) Secure Blockchain VS Cryptocurrencies At this juncture, the differences in nature between cryptocurrencies and blockchains should be pretty stark to you, and intuitively so. If they are not, think about it this way: blockchains are the federal bank of America, whilst cryptocurrencies are the US dollars. They are vastly different entities, and should never be conflated as the same thing! Blockchains are the underlying technology that allows for Cryptocurrencies to be and , and both (think of blockchain as a bed of sorts for cryptocurrencies). decentralized, private (pseudonymous) secure exist on very different layers of the ecosystem Of course, there is still much more to learn about blockchains, and why people would even want to invest in them, so do read on to find out more!

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