Investigating Cryptocurrencies

Investigating Cryptocurrencies

Author: Nick Furneaux

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2018-05-10

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 1119480566

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Investigate crimes involving cryptocurrencies and other blockchain technologies Bitcoin has traditionally been the payment system of choice for a criminal trading on the Dark Web, and now many other blockchain cryptocurrencies are entering the mainstream as traders are accepting them from low-end investors putting their money into the market. Worse still, the blockchain can even be used to hide information and covert messaging, unknown to most investigators. Investigating Cryptocurrencies is the first book to help corporate, law enforcement, and other investigators understand the technical concepts and the techniques for investigating crimes utilizing the blockchain and related digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. Understand blockchain and transaction technologies Set up and run cryptocurrency accounts Build information about specific addresses Access raw data on blockchain ledgers Identify users of cryptocurrencies Extracting cryptocurrency data from live and imaged computers Following the money With nearly $150 billion in cryptocurrency circulating and $3 billion changing hands daily, crimes committed with or paid for with digital cash are a serious business. Luckily, Investigating Cryptocurrencies Forensics shows you how to detect it and, more importantly, stop it in its tracks.


Book Synopsis Investigating Cryptocurrencies by : Nick Furneaux

Download or read book Investigating Cryptocurrencies written by Nick Furneaux and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2018-05-10 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Investigate crimes involving cryptocurrencies and other blockchain technologies Bitcoin has traditionally been the payment system of choice for a criminal trading on the Dark Web, and now many other blockchain cryptocurrencies are entering the mainstream as traders are accepting them from low-end investors putting their money into the market. Worse still, the blockchain can even be used to hide information and covert messaging, unknown to most investigators. Investigating Cryptocurrencies is the first book to help corporate, law enforcement, and other investigators understand the technical concepts and the techniques for investigating crimes utilizing the blockchain and related digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. Understand blockchain and transaction technologies Set up and run cryptocurrency accounts Build information about specific addresses Access raw data on blockchain ledgers Identify users of cryptocurrencies Extracting cryptocurrency data from live and imaged computers Following the money With nearly $150 billion in cryptocurrency circulating and $3 billion changing hands daily, crimes committed with or paid for with digital cash are a serious business. Luckily, Investigating Cryptocurrencies Forensics shows you how to detect it and, more importantly, stop it in its tracks.

Out of the Ether

Out of the Ether

Author: Matthew Leising

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2020-09-29

Total Pages: 351

ISBN-13: 1119602939

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Discover how $55 million in cryptocurrency vanished in one of the most bizarre thefts in history Out of the Ether: The Amazing Story of Ethereum and the $55 Million Heist that Almost Destroyed It All tells the astonishing tale of the disappearance of $55 million worth of the cryptocurrency ether in June 2016. It also chronicles the creation of the Ethereum blockchain from the mind of inventor Vitalik Buterin to the ragtag group of people he assembled around him to build the second-largest crypto universe after Bitcoin. Celebrated journalist and author Matthew Leising tells the full story of one of the most incredible chapters in cryptocurrency history. He covers the aftermath of the heist as well, explaining the extreme lengths the victims of the theft and the creators of Ethereum went to in order to try and limit the damage. The book covers: The creation of Ethereum An explanation of the nature of blockchain and cryptocurrency The activities of a colorful cast of hackers, coders, investors, and thieves Perfect for anyone with even a passing interest in the world of modern fintech or daring electronic heists, Out of the Ether is a story of genius and greed that’s so incredible you may just choose not to believe it.


Book Synopsis Out of the Ether by : Matthew Leising

Download or read book Out of the Ether written by Matthew Leising and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-09-29 with total page 351 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover how $55 million in cryptocurrency vanished in one of the most bizarre thefts in history Out of the Ether: The Amazing Story of Ethereum and the $55 Million Heist that Almost Destroyed It All tells the astonishing tale of the disappearance of $55 million worth of the cryptocurrency ether in June 2016. It also chronicles the creation of the Ethereum blockchain from the mind of inventor Vitalik Buterin to the ragtag group of people he assembled around him to build the second-largest crypto universe after Bitcoin. Celebrated journalist and author Matthew Leising tells the full story of one of the most incredible chapters in cryptocurrency history. He covers the aftermath of the heist as well, explaining the extreme lengths the victims of the theft and the creators of Ethereum went to in order to try and limit the damage. The book covers: The creation of Ethereum An explanation of the nature of blockchain and cryptocurrency The activities of a colorful cast of hackers, coders, investors, and thieves Perfect for anyone with even a passing interest in the world of modern fintech or daring electronic heists, Out of the Ether is a story of genius and greed that’s so incredible you may just choose not to believe it.

Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies

Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies

Author: Arvind Narayanan

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2016-07-19

Total Pages: 335

ISBN-13: 1400884152

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An authoritative introduction to the exciting new technologies of digital money Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies provides a comprehensive introduction to the revolutionary yet often misunderstood new technologies of digital currency. Whether you are a student, software developer, tech entrepreneur, or researcher in computer science, this authoritative and self-contained book tells you everything you need to know about the new global money for the Internet age. How do Bitcoin and its block chain actually work? How secure are your bitcoins? How anonymous are their users? Can cryptocurrencies be regulated? These are some of the many questions this book answers. It begins by tracing the history and development of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, and then gives the conceptual and practical foundations you need to engineer secure software that interacts with the Bitcoin network as well as to integrate ideas from Bitcoin into your own projects. Topics include decentralization, mining, the politics of Bitcoin, altcoins and the cryptocurrency ecosystem, the future of Bitcoin, and more. An essential introduction to the new technologies of digital currency Covers the history and mechanics of Bitcoin and the block chain, security, decentralization, anonymity, politics and regulation, altcoins, and much more Features an accompanying website that includes instructional videos for each chapter, homework problems, programming assignments, and lecture slides Also suitable for use with the authors' Coursera online course Electronic solutions manual (available only to professors)


Book Synopsis Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies by : Arvind Narayanan

Download or read book Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies written by Arvind Narayanan and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2016-07-19 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An authoritative introduction to the exciting new technologies of digital money Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies provides a comprehensive introduction to the revolutionary yet often misunderstood new technologies of digital currency. Whether you are a student, software developer, tech entrepreneur, or researcher in computer science, this authoritative and self-contained book tells you everything you need to know about the new global money for the Internet age. How do Bitcoin and its block chain actually work? How secure are your bitcoins? How anonymous are their users? Can cryptocurrencies be regulated? These are some of the many questions this book answers. It begins by tracing the history and development of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, and then gives the conceptual and practical foundations you need to engineer secure software that interacts with the Bitcoin network as well as to integrate ideas from Bitcoin into your own projects. Topics include decentralization, mining, the politics of Bitcoin, altcoins and the cryptocurrency ecosystem, the future of Bitcoin, and more. An essential introduction to the new technologies of digital currency Covers the history and mechanics of Bitcoin and the block chain, security, decentralization, anonymity, politics and regulation, altcoins, and much more Features an accompanying website that includes instructional videos for each chapter, homework problems, programming assignments, and lecture slides Also suitable for use with the authors' Coursera online course Electronic solutions manual (available only to professors)

Ethereum For Dummies

Ethereum For Dummies

Author: Michael G. Solomon

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2019-04-01

Total Pages: 345

ISBN-13: 111947406X

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Dive into a secure future Professionals look to Ethereum as a blockchain-based platform to develop safe applications and conduct secure transactions. It takes a knowledgeable guiding hand to understand how Ethereum works and what it does — and Ethereum For Dummies provides that guidance. Written by one of the leading voices in the blockchain community and best selling author of Blockchain For Dummies, this book demystifies the workings of Ethereum and shows how it can enhance security, transactions, and investments. As an emerging application of blockchain technology, Ethereum attracts a wide swath of professionals ranging from financial pros who see it as a way to enhance their business, security analysts who want to conduct secure transactions, programmers who build apps that employ the Ethereum blockchain, or investors interested in cashing in on the rise of cryptocurrency. Ethereum For Dummies offers a starting point to all members of this audience as it provides easy-to-understand explanation of the tools and techniques of using Ethereum. Understand the fundamentals of Ethereum Build smart contracts Create decentralized applications Examine public and private chains If you need to get a grip on one of the biggest applications of blockchain technology, this book makes it easier.


Book Synopsis Ethereum For Dummies by : Michael G. Solomon

Download or read book Ethereum For Dummies written by Michael G. Solomon and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-04-01 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dive into a secure future Professionals look to Ethereum as a blockchain-based platform to develop safe applications and conduct secure transactions. It takes a knowledgeable guiding hand to understand how Ethereum works and what it does — and Ethereum For Dummies provides that guidance. Written by one of the leading voices in the blockchain community and best selling author of Blockchain For Dummies, this book demystifies the workings of Ethereum and shows how it can enhance security, transactions, and investments. As an emerging application of blockchain technology, Ethereum attracts a wide swath of professionals ranging from financial pros who see it as a way to enhance their business, security analysts who want to conduct secure transactions, programmers who build apps that employ the Ethereum blockchain, or investors interested in cashing in on the rise of cryptocurrency. Ethereum For Dummies offers a starting point to all members of this audience as it provides easy-to-understand explanation of the tools and techniques of using Ethereum. Understand the fundamentals of Ethereum Build smart contracts Create decentralized applications Examine public and private chains If you need to get a grip on one of the biggest applications of blockchain technology, this book makes it easier.

Learn Blockchain by Building One

Learn Blockchain by Building One

Author: Daniel van Flymen

Publisher: Apress

Published: 2020-10-17

Total Pages: 185

ISBN-13: 9781484251706

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As cryptocurrencies and their underlying data structure, blockchains, become further intertwined in our daily lives, a full understanding of them is essential to anyone who wants to keep up and remain informed of the future of finance. There is no better learning method than a hands-on one, and Learn Blockchain by Building One offers just that. Develop your own blockchain using Python with step-by-step instructions from author Daniel van Flymen, an expert in the field. You will come away with a confident working knowledge of popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum and which foundations make them work. Through helpful exercises and real-world examples, you will understand the core concepts of peer-to-peer networking, Proof of Work, hashing, encryption, and digital signatures. Learn Blockchain by Building One gives you timely, real-world lessons in blockchain and cryptocurrencies that you will need as our modern society becomes increasingly digitally sophisticated. The lasting implications of such technology, such as the security of personal transactions and the role of government regulation, are not to be underestimated. Stay ahead of the curve and become a confident blockchain builder now! What You Will Learn Develop a fully-fledged blockchain in Python Obtain a ground-up understanding of of Proof of Work Grasp core cryptographic concepts, such as hashing, encryption, and digital signatures Understand how gossip protocols and peer-to-peer networking works by implementing a TCP client-server Realize the differences and trade-offs between popular blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum Who This Book Is For This book is aimed at intermediate programmers in any area from finance to academia. Readers should be comfortable reading and writing basic Python.


Book Synopsis Learn Blockchain by Building One by : Daniel van Flymen

Download or read book Learn Blockchain by Building One written by Daniel van Flymen and published by Apress. This book was released on 2020-10-17 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As cryptocurrencies and their underlying data structure, blockchains, become further intertwined in our daily lives, a full understanding of them is essential to anyone who wants to keep up and remain informed of the future of finance. There is no better learning method than a hands-on one, and Learn Blockchain by Building One offers just that. Develop your own blockchain using Python with step-by-step instructions from author Daniel van Flymen, an expert in the field. You will come away with a confident working knowledge of popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum and which foundations make them work. Through helpful exercises and real-world examples, you will understand the core concepts of peer-to-peer networking, Proof of Work, hashing, encryption, and digital signatures. Learn Blockchain by Building One gives you timely, real-world lessons in blockchain and cryptocurrencies that you will need as our modern society becomes increasingly digitally sophisticated. The lasting implications of such technology, such as the security of personal transactions and the role of government regulation, are not to be underestimated. Stay ahead of the curve and become a confident blockchain builder now! What You Will Learn Develop a fully-fledged blockchain in Python Obtain a ground-up understanding of of Proof of Work Grasp core cryptographic concepts, such as hashing, encryption, and digital signatures Understand how gossip protocols and peer-to-peer networking works by implementing a TCP client-server Realize the differences and trade-offs between popular blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum Who This Book Is For This book is aimed at intermediate programmers in any area from finance to academia. Readers should be comfortable reading and writing basic Python.

Bitcoin and Beyond

Bitcoin and Beyond

Author: Malcolm Campbell-Verduyn

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-11-28

Total Pages: 339

ISBN-13: 1351814079

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Since the launch of Bitcoin in 2009 several hundred different ‘cryptocurrencies’ have been developed and become accepted for a wide variety of transactions in leading online commercial marketplaces and the ‘sharing economy’, as well as by more traditional retailers, manufacturers, and even by charities and political parties. Bitcoin and its competitors have also garnered attention for their wildly fluctuating values as well as implication in international money laundering, Ponzi schemes and online trade in illicit goods and services across borders. These and other controversies surrounding cryptocurrencies have induced varying governance responses by central banks, government ministries, international organizations, and industry regulators worldwide. Besides formal attempts to ban Bitcoin, there have been multifaceted efforts to incorporate elements of blockchains, the peer-to-peer technology underlying cryptocurrencies, in the wider exchange, recording, and broadcasting of digital transactions. Blockchains are being mobilized to support and extend an array of governance activities. The novelty and breadth of growing blockchain-based activities have fuelled both utopian promises and dystopian fears regarding applications of the emergent technology to Bitcoin and beyond. This volume brings scholars of anthropology, economics, Science and Technology Studies, and sociology together with GPE scholars in assessing the actual implications posed by Bitcoin and blockchains for contemporary global governance. Its interdisciplinary contributions provide academics, policymakers, industry practitioners and the general public with more nuanced understandings of technological change in the changing character of governance within and across the borders of nation-states.


Book Synopsis Bitcoin and Beyond by : Malcolm Campbell-Verduyn

Download or read book Bitcoin and Beyond written by Malcolm Campbell-Verduyn and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-11-28 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the launch of Bitcoin in 2009 several hundred different ‘cryptocurrencies’ have been developed and become accepted for a wide variety of transactions in leading online commercial marketplaces and the ‘sharing economy’, as well as by more traditional retailers, manufacturers, and even by charities and political parties. Bitcoin and its competitors have also garnered attention for their wildly fluctuating values as well as implication in international money laundering, Ponzi schemes and online trade in illicit goods and services across borders. These and other controversies surrounding cryptocurrencies have induced varying governance responses by central banks, government ministries, international organizations, and industry regulators worldwide. Besides formal attempts to ban Bitcoin, there have been multifaceted efforts to incorporate elements of blockchains, the peer-to-peer technology underlying cryptocurrencies, in the wider exchange, recording, and broadcasting of digital transactions. Blockchains are being mobilized to support and extend an array of governance activities. The novelty and breadth of growing blockchain-based activities have fuelled both utopian promises and dystopian fears regarding applications of the emergent technology to Bitcoin and beyond. This volume brings scholars of anthropology, economics, Science and Technology Studies, and sociology together with GPE scholars in assessing the actual implications posed by Bitcoin and blockchains for contemporary global governance. Its interdisciplinary contributions provide academics, policymakers, industry practitioners and the general public with more nuanced understandings of technological change in the changing character of governance within and across the borders of nation-states.

Blockchain in Data Analytics

Blockchain in Data Analytics

Author: Mohiuddin Ahmed

Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Published: 2020-01-16

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 1527545504

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Blockchain technology facilitates a decentralized database where business is rendered transparent without the involvement of middlemen. The first use of this technology was its application in digital currency (bitcoin). However, other potential uses of blockchain are yet to be explored. It is expected to have a major impact on cyber security, the internet of things, supply chain management, market prediction, governance, information management, and financial transactions, among others. Blockchain has redesigned the way in which people deal with their money due to its effectiveness, especially in terms of security. Therefore, from the data analytics point of view, investigation of the application of blockchain technology in a wide range of domains is crucial. In this context, this book provides a broad picture of the concepts, techniques, applications, and open research directions in this area, and will serve as a single source of reference for acquiring knowledge on this emerging technology.


Book Synopsis Blockchain in Data Analytics by : Mohiuddin Ahmed

Download or read book Blockchain in Data Analytics written by Mohiuddin Ahmed and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2020-01-16 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Blockchain technology facilitates a decentralized database where business is rendered transparent without the involvement of middlemen. The first use of this technology was its application in digital currency (bitcoin). However, other potential uses of blockchain are yet to be explored. It is expected to have a major impact on cyber security, the internet of things, supply chain management, market prediction, governance, information management, and financial transactions, among others. Blockchain has redesigned the way in which people deal with their money due to its effectiveness, especially in terms of security. Therefore, from the data analytics point of view, investigation of the application of blockchain technology in a wide range of domains is crucial. In this context, this book provides a broad picture of the concepts, techniques, applications, and open research directions in this area, and will serve as a single source of reference for acquiring knowledge on this emerging technology.

Bitcoin Widow

Bitcoin Widow

Author: Jennifer Robertson

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: 2022-01-18

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 1443463914

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She met the man of her dreams and suddenly had it all. Then, in one fateful night, she lost everything, and the nightmare began Jennifer Robertson was working hard to build a life for herself from the ashes of her first marriage. Still only twenty-six, she swiped right on a dating app and met Gerry Cotten, a man she would not normally have considered—too young and not her type—but found she’d met her match. Eccentric but funny and kind, Cotten turned out to be a bitcoin wizard who quickly amassed substantial wealth through his company, Quadriga. The couple travelled the world, first class all the way, while Cotten worked on his multitude of encrypted laptops. Then, while the couple was on their honeymoon in India, opening an orphanage in their name, Gerry fell ill and died in a matter of hours. Jennifer was consumed by grief and guilt, but that was only the beginning. It turned out that Gerry owed $250 million to Quadriga customers, and all the passwords to his encrypted virtual vaults, hidden on his many laptops, had died with him. Jennifer was left with more than one hundred thousand investors looking for their money, and questions, suspicions and accusations spiralling dangerously out of control. The Quadriga scandal touched off major investment and criminal investigations, not to mention Internet rumours circulating on dark message boards, including claims that Gerry had faked his own death and that his wife was the real mastermind behind a sophisticated sting operation. While Jennifer waited for a dead man’s switch e-mail that would probably never come, it became clear that Cotten had gambled away about $100 million of the funds entrusted to him for investment in his many schemes, leaving Robertson holding the bag. Bitcoin Widow is Catch Me If You Can meets a widow betrayed, a life of fairy-tale romance and private jets torched by duplicity, as Jennifer Robertson tries to reset her life in the wake of one of the biggest investment scandals of the digital age.


Book Synopsis Bitcoin Widow by : Jennifer Robertson

Download or read book Bitcoin Widow written by Jennifer Robertson and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2022-01-18 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: She met the man of her dreams and suddenly had it all. Then, in one fateful night, she lost everything, and the nightmare began Jennifer Robertson was working hard to build a life for herself from the ashes of her first marriage. Still only twenty-six, she swiped right on a dating app and met Gerry Cotten, a man she would not normally have considered—too young and not her type—but found she’d met her match. Eccentric but funny and kind, Cotten turned out to be a bitcoin wizard who quickly amassed substantial wealth through his company, Quadriga. The couple travelled the world, first class all the way, while Cotten worked on his multitude of encrypted laptops. Then, while the couple was on their honeymoon in India, opening an orphanage in their name, Gerry fell ill and died in a matter of hours. Jennifer was consumed by grief and guilt, but that was only the beginning. It turned out that Gerry owed $250 million to Quadriga customers, and all the passwords to his encrypted virtual vaults, hidden on his many laptops, had died with him. Jennifer was left with more than one hundred thousand investors looking for their money, and questions, suspicions and accusations spiralling dangerously out of control. The Quadriga scandal touched off major investment and criminal investigations, not to mention Internet rumours circulating on dark message boards, including claims that Gerry had faked his own death and that his wife was the real mastermind behind a sophisticated sting operation. While Jennifer waited for a dead man’s switch e-mail that would probably never come, it became clear that Cotten had gambled away about $100 million of the funds entrusted to him for investment in his many schemes, leaving Robertson holding the bag. Bitcoin Widow is Catch Me If You Can meets a widow betrayed, a life of fairy-tale romance and private jets torched by duplicity, as Jennifer Robertson tries to reset her life in the wake of one of the biggest investment scandals of the digital age.

Bitcoin and Blockchain Security

Bitcoin and Blockchain Security

Author: Ghassan O. Karame

Publisher: Artech House

Published: 2016-09-30

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 1630814334

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There is a lot of buzz about Bitcoin and Blockchain lately, our expert authors will help to answer some imperative questions about the security involved in this new digital asset and ledger. This comprehensive new resource presents a thorough overview and analysis of the security and privacy provisions of Bitcoin and its underlying blockchain clients. This book goes beyond the analysis of reported vulnerabilities of Bitcoin, evaluating a number of countermeasures to deter threats on the system. Readers are given concrete solutions and recommendations on the best practices to use when relying on Bitcoin as a payment method. This resource provides a clear explanation of assumptions governing the security of Bitcoin, including the scalability measures adopted in Bitcoin, privacy for clients, and the proper means of securing Bitcoin wallets. Readers learn how the security and privacy provisions of other blockchain technologies compare to Bitcoin and the security lessons learned after extensive research of Bitcoin since the inception of the currency.


Book Synopsis Bitcoin and Blockchain Security by : Ghassan O. Karame

Download or read book Bitcoin and Blockchain Security written by Ghassan O. Karame and published by Artech House. This book was released on 2016-09-30 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is a lot of buzz about Bitcoin and Blockchain lately, our expert authors will help to answer some imperative questions about the security involved in this new digital asset and ledger. This comprehensive new resource presents a thorough overview and analysis of the security and privacy provisions of Bitcoin and its underlying blockchain clients. This book goes beyond the analysis of reported vulnerabilities of Bitcoin, evaluating a number of countermeasures to deter threats on the system. Readers are given concrete solutions and recommendations on the best practices to use when relying on Bitcoin as a payment method. This resource provides a clear explanation of assumptions governing the security of Bitcoin, including the scalability measures adopted in Bitcoin, privacy for clients, and the proper means of securing Bitcoin wallets. Readers learn how the security and privacy provisions of other blockchain technologies compare to Bitcoin and the security lessons learned after extensive research of Bitcoin since the inception of the currency.

Weaving the Dark Web

Weaving the Dark Web

Author: Robert W. Gehl

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2018-08-14

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 0262038269

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An exploration of the Dark Web—websites accessible only with special routing software—that examines the history of three anonymizing networks, Freenet, Tor, and I2P. The term “Dark Web” conjures up drug markets, unregulated gun sales, stolen credit cards. But, as Robert Gehl points out in Weaving the Dark Web, for each of these illegitimate uses, there are other, legitimate ones: the New York Times's anonymous whistleblowing system, for example, and the use of encryption by political dissidents. Defining the Dark Web straightforwardly as websites that can be accessed only with special routing software, and noting the frequent use of “legitimate” and its variations by users, journalists, and law enforcement to describe Dark Web practices (judging them “legit” or “sh!t”), Gehl uses the concept of legitimacy as a window into the Dark Web. He does so by examining the history of three Dark Web systems: Freenet, Tor, and I2P. Gehl presents three distinct meanings of legitimate: legitimate force, or the state's claim to a monopoly on violence; organizational propriety; and authenticity. He explores how Freenet, Tor, and I2P grappled with these different meanings, and then discusses each form of legitimacy in detail by examining Dark Web markets, search engines, and social networking sites. Finally, taking a broader view of the Dark Web, Gehl argues for the value of anonymous political speech in a time of ubiquitous surveillance. If we shut down the Dark Web, he argues, we lose a valuable channel for dissent.


Book Synopsis Weaving the Dark Web by : Robert W. Gehl

Download or read book Weaving the Dark Web written by Robert W. Gehl and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2018-08-14 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An exploration of the Dark Web—websites accessible only with special routing software—that examines the history of three anonymizing networks, Freenet, Tor, and I2P. The term “Dark Web” conjures up drug markets, unregulated gun sales, stolen credit cards. But, as Robert Gehl points out in Weaving the Dark Web, for each of these illegitimate uses, there are other, legitimate ones: the New York Times's anonymous whistleblowing system, for example, and the use of encryption by political dissidents. Defining the Dark Web straightforwardly as websites that can be accessed only with special routing software, and noting the frequent use of “legitimate” and its variations by users, journalists, and law enforcement to describe Dark Web practices (judging them “legit” or “sh!t”), Gehl uses the concept of legitimacy as a window into the Dark Web. He does so by examining the history of three Dark Web systems: Freenet, Tor, and I2P. Gehl presents three distinct meanings of legitimate: legitimate force, or the state's claim to a monopoly on violence; organizational propriety; and authenticity. He explores how Freenet, Tor, and I2P grappled with these different meanings, and then discusses each form of legitimacy in detail by examining Dark Web markets, search engines, and social networking sites. Finally, taking a broader view of the Dark Web, Gehl argues for the value of anonymous political speech in a time of ubiquitous surveillance. If we shut down the Dark Web, he argues, we lose a valuable channel for dissent.