By Identity Management Institute - 17 Nov 2022

Crypto transaction privacy implications must be considered in cryptocurrency payments and smart contract transactions. The digital world is becoming more and more intertwined with our everyday lives since the inception of blockchain technology, Web3, metaverse, and crypto. With the advent of cryptocurrency, we now have a new way to conduct digital transactions. Cryptocurrency offers many advantages over traditional fiat currency but also comes with some risks and implications including crypto transaction privacy.

Crypto Transaction Overview

Crypto and blockchain in general have been praised for their transparency, but crypto transaction privacy can be confusing and contradicting when we compare the privacy of smart contracts to the privacy of cryptocurrency payment transactions. While regulators are concerned with money laundering and illegal activity financing aspects of crypto transactions, parties to the smart contract transactions are concerned with the lack of privacy. This is because blockchain technology, the underlying cryptocurrency technology, is designed to be transparent. That means that every transaction made on a blockchain is visible to everyone on the public ledger.

While this transparency has benefits for regulators and others, it also means that some crypto transaction details are not private. When it comes to privacy in cryptocurrency transactions, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Crypto is designed to be decentralized and doesn’t rely on third-party intermediaries or a centralized figure. This means that all transaction data is stored on a public ledger (blockchain) that is viewable by anyone. However, this doesn’t mean that all transaction data is or should be completely public. In most cases, only the addresses involved in a transaction are visible. This means that identity is not directly attached to the transactions.

Benefits of Blockchain Transaction Privacy

One of the major benefits of crypto transaction privacy is the protection of user identities. When users transact using private currency, their personal information is not attached to the transaction and their identity is less likely to be stolen or compromised. Additionally, privacy coins can help protect users’ financial privacy because when users transact using a private currency, their financial information is not shared with anyone else. Their financial privacy is protected, and they can keep their transactions and finances confidential.

Drawbacks of Crypto Transaction Privacy

There are some potential drawbacks to using a private currency. One of the main drawbacks is that it can be more difficult to trace transactions back to the parties involved. Thus, tracking criminals or investigating illegal activity in private currency may be more difficult. Additionally, cryptocurrencies can be more volatile than traditional currencies. Their value can fluctuate more rapidly, and they may be subject to more fluctuations in the market, although, cryptocurrency volatility is expected to decrease as the crypto market matures.

Privacy Coins and Tokens in Crypto

Some digital currencies, such as Monero and Zcash, offer privacy features that make it difficult for third parties to track transactions. These “privacy coins” or “privacy tokens” use various methods to protect users’ identities and keep their transactions private.

One popular method is called ring signature which mixes a user’s transaction with other transactions, making it difficult to identify the sender. Another common technique is using “stealth addresses,” which create a one-time address for each transaction that can’t be linked back to the user.

Private coins have become increasingly popular as more people look for ways to keep their financial activities private. However, privacy tokens have also been associated with criminal activity, as you can use them to launder money or buy illegal goods.

However, there are some trade-offs to consider:

• Transaction privacy can come at the expense of transparency. Auditing a blockchain may be more difficult if transaction details are hidden.
• Private coins and tokens may be subject to more regulatory scrutiny than other cryptocurrencies. Authorities may be concerned about the use of these coins for illegal activity.

Smart Contracts in Crypto

When it comes to cryptocurrency transactions, one of the key considerations is transaction privacy. In some cases, crypto transactions can be completely anonymous, meaning there is no way for anyone to know who is sending or receiving funds. This can be a great advantage for people who want to keep their financial affairs private. However, it also has disadvantages for regulators and crime investigators tracking criminals who use crypto to launder money, finance terrorism, or trade illegal goods.

One of the key features of blockchain is the use of smart contracts in almost every transaction which is essentially an automated program that self-executes whenever a transaction criterion is met. Part of the smart contract program may be to automatically pay a party with agreed-upon crypto when a certain action is taken. The challenge here is to keep certain actions and details of the transactions private while the payment data is kept transparent on the blockchain as much as possible or necessary for tracking and investigations.

This means that it would be much easier to track down and prosecute if someone were to try and launder money using a smart contract without disclosing other private and sensitive data.

According to Henry Bagdasarian, “while maintaining privacy in cryptocurrency payment transactions may not be possible in the long run due to regulations and compliance concerns, privacy in smart contracts for commerce and business transactions may be necessary to keep details and sensitive data out of the public view.”

Privacy and Security Considerations

Regarding privacy and security in cryptocurrency, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind. First and foremost, it’s important to remember that blockchain is a public ledger. This means that all transactions are recorded and visible to everyone on the network. However, the identities of the parties involved are not revealed in privacy coin transactions. In other words, while it is possible to trace a particular transaction back to a specific wallet, it is impossible to determine who owns the wallet in private coin transactions.

This transparency has led some people to believe that some crypto coins are not a good choice for privacy-conscious individuals. However, there are a few ways to increase privacy when using non-private coins. For example, some use a service like CoinMixer, which mixes your coins with other users’ coins, making it more difficult to trace a particular transaction back to the cryptocurrency owner. Alternatively, some people use “CoinJoin” to anonymize crypto transactions. This technique allows multiple users to combine their coins into a single transaction, making it more difficult to determine which coins belong to which user.

Of course, no matter what measures are taken to increase privacy, it’s important to remember that cryptocurrencies are not completely anonymous and future regulations may render many of these privacy techniques illegal including many of the privacy coins such as Monero which uses ring signatures and stealth addresses to make it virtually impossible to trace transactions back to their source.

Privacy When Trading Crypto

One way to maintain privacy during crypto trading is to use a decentralized exchange (DEX) which is a peer-to-peer network that allows users to trade directly with each other without the need for a central authority. This means there is no central control or data collection point, making it more difficult for third parties to track and trace transactions. DEXs have built-in mechanisms to obfuscate further transaction data, such as onion routing or zero-knowledge proofs.

Another way to maintain privacy during crypto transactions is to use a privacy-focused token. These cryptocurrencies are designed with privacy and often utilize technologies like ring signatures or stealth addresses, making it more difficult for third parties to track and trace transactions. Privacy coins can be exchanged on centralized and decentralized exchanges, giving users more flexibility in their trade.

How to Achieve Privacy in Crypto?

Regarding financial privacy, cryptocurrencies offer more privacy because they are designed to be decentralized and peer-to-peer without needing third-party intermediaries. This means that there is no central authority that can snoop on or censor crypto transactions.

Crypto privacy can be further enhanced by using a decentralized exchange instead of centralized one. DEXs don’t require users to create accounts or submit personal information, so they offer a higher degree of anonymity.

There are also other mechanisms to increase privacy when making crypto transactions. For example, a “burner” wallet can be used for a single transaction before being discarded. Alternatively, a VPN or Tor can be used to mask an IP address, making it more difficult for someone to track activity.

Combining these methods helps achieve digital currency transaction privacy to the extent that regulations allow which can change at any time making privacy coins, software, and methods illegal. By being vigilant about your privacy and using decentralized platforms wherever possible, you can help keep your financial information safe from prying eyes to the extent that the regulations allow.

The Benefits of Cryptocurrency Transaction Privacy

There are many benefits to keeping crypto transactions private. One benefit is that it helps keep an identity safe. For example, transactional history could be used to track users down and steal their identity.

Privacy can also help protect consumers from fraudsters. If someone knows what coins a person holds and where they’re stored, they could try to hack into the account to steal the coins. By keeping information private, we can keep ourselves safe from these attacks.

Conclusion

When we discuss crypto transaction privacy, it is important to distinguish between payment privacy and smart contract privacy. Payments may be subject to various regulations while smart contracts executed between two parties may not need to be fully disclosed. Cryptocurrency transactions are not always as private as many people think. While it is true that cryptocurrencies offer a higher degree of anonymity than traditional financial systems, there are still ways for third parties to track and trace crypto transactions. If you value your privacy, it is essential to be aware of the risks involved in using cryptocurrency and take steps to minimize the risks.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN INFORMATION SECURITY

Whether it’s another data breach at a major company or a shift in the way large businesses approach security, cybersecurity news continues to highlight the importance of strong identity and access management policies with help from artificial intelligence in information security and machine learning applications. Knowing the threats you may encounter and the protections available can guide you in making the best decisions to secure your systems.

Data Breach – Lessons Learned

When a tech giant experienced a “data issue” involving leaked “customer names and email addresses”, according to reported news, the online retailer blamed the data exposure on a “technical error.” Users affected by the problem were sent a vaguely worded email assuring them there was no need to change their passwords.

Many users assumed the email was a phishing attempt and were baffled. However, even though the company stayed quiet about the details, the reported leak was legitimate. No information was forthcoming from the company about the number of people affected or the root cause of the issue, but poor access management is one potential culprit. When permissions are granted beyond a user’s access needs, errors are more likely and hackers have more opportunities to gain entrance into a system.

This leak serves as a reminder to assess permissions and keep access privileges under control in enterprise systems. With so many users interacting throughout the network on the front and back ends, it’s critical to ensure each person only has access to the information and applications necessary to perform essential tasks.

The Rise of Next-Gen IDaaS

As traditional authentication methods lose efficacy, businesses need new ways to address identity management and enforce privilege levels such as the new generation of Identity as a Service (IDaaS) that is available to companies searching for smarter, stronger IAM tools.

For example, IDaaS provides fresh ways to manage customer identities and sign-on procedures. Companies interacting with large numbers of users on a daily basis can leverage enterprise-grade tools to improve the customer experience across all access points.

IDaaS solutions include tools designed to:

• Handle customer registration and authentication
• Improve customer preference and consent management
• Enable continuous integration
• Set up and maintain single-sign-on (SSO) access
• Speed up self-service account recovery
• Centralize policy administration and enforcement
• Improve identity analytics

With these options readily available, companies are better able to monitor customers’ access behaviors to detect and stop fraud, and, deal with bottlenecks leading to registration abandonment.

More IDaaS solutions are likely to arise as customer access management increases in complexity. Companies need IDaaS to ensure a high level of security for sensitive data without hampering the customer experience. Being able to provide straightforward registration options and a seamless transition between applications removes potential barriers and allows customers to interact appropriately while preventing unwanted data access.

Do Enterprises Need Artificial Intelligence in Information Security?

With connectivity no longer limited to in-house networks and the number of internet-ready devices continuing to increase, enterprises need a better way to manage risk levels. Threats are becoming more numerous and sophisticated as hackers adapt to the changing landscape of modern networks. With IoT, BYOD, remote work, and cloud-based collaboration becoming the norm, there are a growing number of endpoints at which malicious third parties can gain network access.

To address these changes, companies must be ready to switch from threat prevention to proactive detection and response. Outdated security protocols can’t offer the dynamic tools necessary to protect against numerous modern threats, which is why many businesses are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

With these sophisticated tools in place, enterprises can build security strategies designed to handle the 750 or more applications running on their networks and the 1,500 users accessing each application throughout the day. AI and ML are better at detecting unusual behavior anywhere on a network and can trigger immediate responses to detect a threat before it turns into a full-blown breach. Because these modern security resources can “learn” which behaviors are normal and which aren’t, enterprises no longer have to rely on periodic software updates to get all the information on new threats. Instead, AI and ML work together to “understand” when something is amiss and launch a defense as quickly as possible.

The smartest thing you can do to ensure your systems and data are protected against the growing number of unique threats from malicious parties is to be alert:

• continue to watch the changing identity and access management landscape,
• learn from security breaches in the news,
• get more information about new solutions as they become available, and
• implement the most relevant options for your organization.

CBDC SOCIAL ENGINEERING

By Charles Steele, chair of the department of economics, business, and accounting at Hillsdale College in Michigan - 27 Nov 2022

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WE CAN NOT LET THE GOAT WATCH THE HAY!

Access to personal data in a crypto-based money system must be constantly guarded by AI supervised by a group of dual interest guardians, re-elected every 4 years. Access to information on criminal transactions can be given to the appropriate authorities upon application to the supervisory group.