Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A Canadian teen was arrested for allegedly stealing $36.5 million in cryptocurrency through a cell phone scam.</li><li>The teen was accused of using some of the funds to buy a rare <keyword id="12562318" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gaming-username" source="Orion">gaming username</keyword>.</li></ul>A teenager in Canada was arrested for allegedly stealing C$46 million ($36.5 million) worth of cryptocurrency from a victim residing in the US, police in Canada said Wednesday. Some of the stolen cryptocurrency was used to buy an online username considered to be rare in the gaming community, and the transaction led investigators to find out who held the account of the username, Hamilton Police Service <a href="https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/news/arrest-made-in-46-million-dollar-cryptocurrency--theft/">said in a statement</a>.The victim was the target of a cell phone scam known as SIM swapping, said police in Hamilton, a port city located in the province of Ontario. The department also said the case marked the biggest <keyword id="12562314" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cryptocurrency-theft" source="Orion">cryptocurrency theft</keyword> reported from one person.A SIM swap attack is a hijacking method carried out by manipulating cellular network employees to duplicate phone numbers so a scammer can intercept two-factor authorization requests. Such requests lead to access to a victim's account. Hamilton Police said it made "multiple" cryptocurrency seizures surpassing C$7 million in value. The arrest was the result of a joint investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the US Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force.The Hamilton teenager's case of alleged possession of property or proceeds of property obtained by crime is being handled in the court system.

A teen accused of a $36.5 million crypto theft used some of it to buy a rare gaming username — which the police used to track him down

Sheesh — it's already Monday. Jordan Parker Erb here, reporting to you from New York. On social media, people are waging <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/handles-instagram-twitter-social-media-deadly-harassment-campaign-2022-7">a deadly campaign</a> over something seemingly banal: usernames. Oh, and for all you Wordle fans (guilty!), the online puzzle is being <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wordle-is-becoming-a-multi-player-board-game-heres-how-to-get-it-2022-7">turned into a board game</a>.Now, let's get to it.If this was forwarded to you, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/10-things-in-tech">sign up here</a>. Download Insider's app <a href="https://link.insider.com/click/27645591.160803/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zaWRlci5jb20vYXBwP25yX2VtYWlsX3JlZmVyZXI9MSZ1dG1fc291cmNlPVNhaWx0aHJ1JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9T3BlbmluZ19iZWxs/62667762063d6b9bef0cffb3Bf9c9aa56">here.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/handles-instagram-twitter-social-media-deadly-harassment-campaign-2022-7"></a>1. People are waging a deadly war over social media usernames. Unique usernames — so-called <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/handles-instagram-twitter-social-media-deadly-harassment-campaign-2022-7">"OG handles"</a> — have become increasingly coveted on social media, and some people are going to desperate lengths to get them.<ul><li>One <keyword id="6358815" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tech" source="Orion">tech</keyword> exec, who nabbed the handle @ginger, is used to fielding offers to buy the username. But in 2020, he became a part of a campaign of terror over the handle.</li><li>Platforms like Instagram and Twitter ban the sale of handles, so online marketplaces have sprung up instead. The most valuable usernames — two-letter handles, as well as memorable words like ginger — can sell for thousands of dollars.</li><li>But some people turn to more drastic measures to get rare usernames. Several people with pithy, coveted handles have been targeted, resulting in harassment and "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-swatting">swatting</a>" — and in one case, death.</li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/handles-instagram-twitter-social-media-deadly-harassment-campaign-2022-7">Inside the obsession with social media's most sought-after handles.</a>In other news:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-amazonbasics-private-label-brands-7-22"></a><div type="image" title="A cart full of Amazon packages and boxes" height="1666" width="2222" msid="92956009" hostid="261" sizebytes="637334"></div>2. Amazon is shrinking private brands like AmazonBasics. The Wall Street Journal reported the company is cutting back on its private-label business — including its colossal AmazonBasics brand — and is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-amazonbasics-private-label-brands-7-22">considering nixing its private-label selections altogether</a>.3. Elon Musk could face prison time if he doesn't comply with a court order in Twitter's suit. According to a legal expert, the court handling the case has many ways to force compliance — including massive daily fines, taking control of Tesla stock, and even sending Musk to prison. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-could-lose-tesla-stock-go-prison-over-twitter-2022-7">Here's what legal experts are saying.</a>4. A tech worker was fired after posting TikToks about her salary. The employee, based in Denver, deleted videos from her account to avoid angering her bosses, but was fired two days after superiors discussed the content of her videos with her. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-videos-cost-new-hire-tech-job-sharing-salary-2022-7">She breaks down what happened.</a>5. Inside the world of Weee, a rapidly rising online grocer. Weee's CEO Larry Liu pivoted his failing group-buying startup into an Asian and Hispanic grocery delivery service worth $4 billion. While Liu cites the company's diverse immigrant workforce as an advantage, some workers say the company's culture is brutal. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/asian-and-hispanic-grocery-service-weee-pivots-to-success-and-problems-2022-7">Read the full profile on Weee.</a>6. Coinbase is temporarily shutting down its US affiliate-marketing program on July 19. In leaked emails, Coinbase said "crypto market conditions" mean the company is "unable to continue supporting incentivized traffic to its platform." <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coinbase-temporarily-shutting-down-us-affiliate-marketing-program-for-influencers-2022-7?op=1&amp;scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4&amp;r=US&amp;IR=T">Here's what we learned from the emails.</a>7. Shopify is canceling some students' internships via email. The company rescinded offers for some interns who were set to begin this fall, and is also pausing recruiting for other fall internships — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/shopify-rescinds-offers-for-some-fall-interns-pauses-recruiting-2022-7">drying up a key onramp into the tech industry</a>.8. Mark Cuban said he made a joke that made Bill Gates so "pissed" they never spoke again. In a podcast interview, Cuban said the interaction happened right after Cuban sold his company Broadcast.com for $5.7 billion in 1999, and that they haven't spoken since. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-bill-gates-never-spoken-again-after-joke-2022-7">See the joke that has the pair at odds.</a>Odds and ends:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wordle-is-becoming-a-multi-player-board-game-heres-how-to-get-it-2022-7"></a><div type="image" title="A person plays Wordle: The Party Game, a new board game." height="2262" width="3016" msid="92956011" hostid="261" sizebytes="363258"></div>9. Wordle is being turned into a board game. The viral online puzzle, wherein players have six tries to guess a five-letter word, is being reimagined as a board game to play IRL. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wordle-is-becoming-a-multi-player-board-game-heres-how-to-get-it-2022-7">Here's how to play "Wordle: The Party Game."</a>10. Rivian's new R1S is like three dream cars wrapped up into one EV. After test-driving the new electric SUV, Insider's transportation reporter was enamored. With stunning features, off-roading capabilities, and practicality to boot, he came away thinking <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rivian-r1s-electric-suv-review-drive-range-photos-price-2022-7">the R1S is the best of all worlds</a>.What we're watching today:<ul><li>IBM, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and others are reporting earnings. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/earnings-calendar">Keep up with earnings here.</a></li><li>It's Sir Richard Branson's birthday.</li><li>The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions, described as the "<a href="https://www.weforum.org/events/the-new-champion-dialogues-2022">Summer Davos</a>," starts today.</li><li>GameStop Corp record date for 4-for-1 stock split.</li><li>A hearing is being held in the UK class action case <a href="https://www.catribunal.org.uk/cases/14087721-elizabeth-helen-coll">against Google and Alphabet</a>.</li></ul>Keep updated with the latest tech news throughout your day by checking out<a href="https://link.chtbl.com/therefresh"> The Refresh from Insider,</a> a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. <a href="https://link.chtbl.com/therefresh">Listen here.</a>Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email <a href="mailto:jerb@insider.com">jerb@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/jordanparkererb?lang=en">@jordanparkererb</a>.) Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/hallam_bullock">@hallam_bullock</a>) in London.

People are going to war over rare social media usernames

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Three experts explain how a hacker stole over $600 million of tokens from <keyword id="11971138" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="axie-infinity" source="Orion">Axie Infinity</keyword>'s Ronin Network last month. </li><li>They attributed the attack to human error and social engineering rather than any fault in the blockchain technology. </li></ul>The massive Ronin Network <keyword id="11893898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="crypto" source="Orion">crypto</keyword> heist shouldn't be a deterrent to widespread crypto adoption, according to experts, who faulted a lack of <keyword id="6361948" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cybersecurity" source="Orion">cybersecurity</keyword> rather than a flaw in blockchain technology.Ronin is a blockchain protocol linked to Axie Infinity, a popular play-to-earn game with <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/blockchain-gaming-metaverse-axie-infinity-nft-crypto-cryptocurrency-ethereum-gamer-2022-2">$4 billion in NFT sales</a> that sees over 2.8 million players logging on each day. Ronin said in a Tuesday <a href="https://roninblockchain.substack.com/p/community-alert-ronin-validators?s=w">blog post</a> that the attacker <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/crypto-hack-ronin-network-heist-cybercrime-cryptocurrency-axie-infinity-polynetwork-2022-3?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">stole roughly $625 million</a> in crypto, draining 173,600 <keyword id="11896271" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ether" source="Orion">ether</keyword> and 25.5 million USDC.The heist, which wasn't detected until almost a week after it occurred, is believed to be one of the biggest in the history of crypto and highlights the sector's immense risks."A hack used to mean loss of passwords and usernames, but in the age of crypto it means the loss of life savings," Ari Redbord, head of legal and government affairs at blockchain research firm <a href="https://www.trmlabs.com/">TRM,</a> told Insider. "Bank robbery at the speed of the internet."<h2>Crypto heist exploited key oversight</h2>Sky Mavis, the developer behind Axie Infinity, built a "side chain" — a secondary blockchain for faster, cheaper transactions — since <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/ethereum-transaction-gas-fees-high-solana-avalanche-cardano-crypto-blockchain-2021-12">transactions on the ethereum blockchain are expensive</a>.The side chain had nine so-called validator nodes, which are proof-of-stake tools that confirm transactions. At least five are necessary to approve each transaction. Sky Mavis oversaw five, and Axie Decentralized Autonomous Organization controlled four. Sky Mavis said it discontinued its agreement with the DAO in December but never revoked the permissions it allowed.The hacker took over four of Sky Mavis' validator nodes and one from Axie DAO, enabling access to the crypto and eventually the massive theft. Sky Mavis said it has since replaced all of its validators and is working to <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/axie-infinity-crypto-heist-reimburse-ronin-tokens-skymavis-hacker-attack-2022-3">reimburse the stolen funds</a>. Max Galka, CEO of crypto forensics firm Elementus, pointed to the lapsed DAO deal as a major oversight, noting that vulnerabilities arise when cryptocurrencies are stored in side chains rather than native blockchains."They never removed what was meant to be a temporary measure. It was an outright error," he told Insider.<h2>Social engineering</h2>The Ronin Network said all evidence suggests the attack was socially engineered, meaning individuals were targeted via emails or <keyword id="12224442" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="phishing" source="Orion">phishing</keyword> and tricked into giving a hacker access. "It was pure human error," Amber Ghaddar, founder of decentralized finance firm <a href="https://allianceblock.io/">AllianceBlock</a>, told Insider, adding that social engineering is one of the most common drivers of cybercrimes. "If consumers aren't protected from things like this, the industry is going to fail," she said.Hackers will keep using social engineering until it stops being effective, but this isn't reason to be skeptical of cryptocurrency as a technology, said Redbord.All three experts agreed that the blame doesn't lie in the blockchain, as it's already an extremely secure mechanism that offers traceable transactions, transparency, and decentralization. "Really what we're seeing is a cybersecurity issue, not a cryptocurrency issue," Redbord said. "The government is calling for <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/biden-crypto-executive-order-digital-dollar-cbdc-bitcoin-congress-2022-3">crypto regulation</a>, but really what would help is a hardening of cyberdefenses, rather than focusing on crypto." Solutions could include funding for additional intelligence tools as well as more robust and pervasive cybersecurity networks, he said. Ghaddar added that educational outreach for companies and individuals could bolster existing defense systems. "Attacks like this are concerning, but I believe in the promise of crypto," Redbord said. "We need to focus on building out a trust layer in the crypto economy — anti-money laundering infrastructure, compliance controls, cybersecurity — so that people will interact with this new online financial system."

A hacker just stole over $600 million in crypto. Experts explain the historic swindle &mdash; and why cyberattacks shouldn't discourage adoption of digital assets.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Hello and happy first night of Hanukkah for those who celebrate! If you still haven't jumped on the TikTok bandwagon but are wondering about the hype, <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-popular-tiktoks-of-the-year-us">check out the most popular videos from the app this year</a>.In today's big story, we're looking at the truth behind <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-employees-did-not-want-to-work-for-microsoft-2023-12">OpenAI workers' threat to leave the startup</a> amid the Sam Altman ouster.What's on deck: <ul><li>Markets: Hedge funds' November report cards are in. <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/november-hedge-fund-performance-balyasny-citadel-millennium-22023-12">Here's how top firms stacked up</a>.</li><li>Tech: Google's next step in its <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-gemini-ai-model-release-ultra-pro-bard-openai-tpu-2023-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">battle with OpenAI over AI supremacy</a>.</li><li>Business: Homeowners <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-passive-income-side-hustle-selling-electricity-neighbors-solar-panels-2023-12">have a hidden fortune</a>. They just need to look at their roof.</li></ul>But first, show me your best poker face.If this was forwarded to you, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today">sign up here.</a><h2>The big story</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-employees-did-not-want-to-work-for-microsoft-2023-12"></a><div type="image" title="OpenAI logo on a phone with CEO Sam Altman in the background" height="2846" width="4446" msid="105817678" hostid="261" sizebytes="181170"></div>Open illusion"It's not a lie... if you believe it."-<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn_PSJsl0LQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">George Costanza</a>, OpenAI employees (probably)OpenAI employees threatening to quit during Sam Altman's ouster was the type of loyalty <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-openai-founder-ousted-ceo-genai-workers-quit-2023-11">workers rarely show toward a boss</a>.In reality, it was a bit of a bluff. While the entire company <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-workers-threaten-to-quit-over-sam-altman-firing-2023-11">signed a letter</a> stating they'd follow Altman to Microsoft if he wasn't reinstated, <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-employees-did-not-want-to-work-for-microsoft-2023-12">no one really wanted to do it</a>, current and former OpenAI staffers told Business Insider's Kali Hays, Ashley Stewart, and Darius Rafieyan. It's not just OpenAI employees who were bending the truth. Microsoft viewed hiring OpenAI's employees as an absolute last resort, according to insiders.Part of OpenAI employees' issue with joining Microsoft was the less-than-stellar impression they had of working for so-called "legacy" tech. OpenAI staffers "see themselves as innovators who are radically changing the world," a former employee of the startup told BI. But the real problem was money, as is often the case. A tender offer was right around the corner, giving employees a chance to make a fortune selling existing vested equity to outside investors. The walkout would have spoiled those plans.<a href="https://my.sailthru.com/email-composer/6422595?origin=save_as" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><div type="image" title="Sam Altman at OpenAI's developer day" height="2674" width="3872" msid="105817680" hostid="261" sizebytes="1802440"></div>News of <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-employees-did-not-want-to-work-for-microsoft-2023-12">OpenAI employees' bluff</a> is the latest crack in the Altman facade.In the wake of Altman's ouster-turned-return drama, there was plenty of speculation about the <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-openai-staff-loyalty-power-chatgpt-microsoft-2023-11">perceived power he now held</a>. (When news of his return broke, I suggested he was "<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/news-today-november-22-sam-altman-openai-return-tech-ai-2023-11">now arguably one of the most untouchable executives in the world</a>.")But as BI's Alistair Barr pointed out, Altman's public statements in the wake of his return to OpenAI <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-less-powerful-openai-microsoft-2023-11">tell a different story</a>. He was adamant OpenAI "will be totally fine without me," adding that its leadership team "is clearly ready to run the company without me."That sentiment, coupled with the revelation that OpenAI employees didn't truly have unwavering support for Altman, paints the past few weeks' events in a very different light. The OpenAI drama also forced companies to make sure they aren't solely relying on the startup, according to Alistair. The timing isn't ideal for OpenAI, as bigger tech companies <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/news-today-november-30-aws-amazon-cloud-tension-goldman-sachs-2023-11">get more aggressive with AI rollouts</a>. All that's to say, OpenAI employees might have successfully pulled off a massive bluff, but the rest of the industry now knows their tell.<h2>3 things in markets</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blackrock-larry-fink-stacey-mullin-chief-of-staff-2023-12"></a><div type="image" title="Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, gestures in front of a microphone at the COP28 conference in Dubai." height="4978" width="7545" msid="105817681" hostid="261" sizebytes="485420"></div><ul><li>A key behind-the-scenes role at BlackRock is being reimagined. CEO Larry Fink's chief of staff is a <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blackrock-larry-fink-chief-of-staff-2023-2">powerful post at the world's largest money manager</a>. But "rising expectations" led the firm to make it a permanent role and <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blackrock-larry-fink-stacey-mullin-chief-of-staff-2023-12">tap longtime executive Stacey Mullin for the position</a>.</li><li>How top hedge funds performed in November. Balyasny lost 1.2% last month amid heavy turnover among its portfolio managers. Citadel's flagship fund, meanwhile, was top among multi-strategy firms. <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/november-hedge-fund-performance-balyasny-citadel-millennium-22023-12">Check out how all the top hedge funds did</a>.</li><li>Eight tech stocks to bet on in 2024. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives makes the case for the tech sector posting monster gains next year. From Zscaler to Palantir, <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-stocks-to-buy-now-2024-market-rally-outlook-wedbush-2023-12">these are the tech stocks he feels have the biggest upside</a>.</li></ul><h2>3 things in tech</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-gemini-explainer-ai-model-2023-9"></a><div type="image" title="Zoubin Gharhramani speaking at a Google AI event" height="3996" width="5328" msid="105817682" hostid="261" sizebytes="958170"></div><ul><li>Google is finally launching Gemini — its biggest shot at OpenAI. The <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-gemini-ai-model-release-ultra-pro-bard-openai-tpu-2023-12">generative AI model</a> will be launched in phases. And it's the search giant's opportunity to thwart the narrative that it's fallen behind rivals like OpenAI. Here's <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-gemini-explainer-ai-model-2023-9">everything we know about it</a> so far.</li><li>The new Silicon Valley mantra. It's moved away from Mark Zuckerberg's "move fast and break things." Now, <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-move-fast-and-break-things-sam-altman-openai-2023-12">the new saying from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman</a> starts with: "Move faster. Slowness anywhere justifies slowness everywhere."</li><li>Block CEO Jack Dorsey finally addresses layoff of Tidal staff. The music streamer just cut 40 employees. And it's <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jack-dorsey-tidal-layoffs-block-cuts-2023-12">likely just the beginning</a>, according to an internal note sent by Dorsey. He also said in the memo that Block is looking to get on a more "sustainable" financial path.</li></ul><h2>3 things in business</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-passive-income-side-hustle-selling-electricity-neighbors-solar-panels-2023-12"></a><div type="image" title="Solar power turning into cash flow." height="1000" width="2000" msid="105817683" hostid="261" sizebytes="322132"></div><ul><li>The next lucrative side hustle: selling electricity to your neighbors. New technologies and a fleet of startups are allowing people to not just independently power their homes with solar, but also <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-passive-income-side-hustle-selling-electricity-neighbors-solar-panels-2023-12">store and sell excess solar power</a> to their neighbors.</li><li>Self-checkout theft is a bigger problem than you may have thought. It's increasingly clear that the machines lead to an increase in shoplifting. Now, new data reveals more precisely <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/self-checkout-theft-is-a-bigger-problem-than-retailers-thought-2023-12">how big of a hit retailers take</a> from skipped scans.</li><li> The hottest housing markets of 2024. The top metros were based on factors like changes in existing home sales and existing home median sale prices. This landed areas like Bakersfield, California and Rochester, New York in the <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-market-outlook-2024-hottest-places-to-buy-a-home-2023-12">top 10 housing markets</a> for next year.</li></ul><h2>In other news</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kevin-mccarthy-leaving-congress-2023-12">Kevin McCarthy's run in Congress will end, capping off "Young Gun's" era of chaos and disorder</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-compete-starbucks-drink-focused-cosmcs-launch-2023-12">McDonald's unveiled the menu for CosMc's, a beverage-focused concept that could compete with Starbucks</a>.</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/jamie-dimon-crypto-bitcoin-regulation-sec-etf-criminal-laundering-banking-2023-12">Jamie Dimon says he's deeply opposed to crypto and the government should "close it down.</a>"</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/george-santos-made-more-2-days-cameo-than-congress-salary-2023-12">George Santos made more on Cameo in 48 hours than he did in his entire time in Congress: report</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/diddy-gang-raped-high-schooler-lawsuit-alleges-2023-12">Sean "Diddy" Combs participated in "gang rape" of high schooler, new lawsuit alleges</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-ackman-harvard-mit-upenn-presidents-should-resign-disgrace-2023-12">Bill Ackman wants Harvard, MIT, and UPenn's presidents to "resign in disgrace.</a>"</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-of-living-nyc-millionaires-wealth-tax-2023-12">Millionaires are flocking back to New York City as people making less than $172,000 move out</a>.</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/apple-stock-price-market-analysis-trillion-dollar-company-magnificent-seven-2023-12">Apple regains a $3 trillion market cap and is on track to end the year as the world's most valuable company for the 5th time in a row</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boomer-grandma-stopped-babysitting-set-boundaries-millennial-kids-2023-12">A boomer grandma felt obliged to babysit her grandkids. She wanted her life back and stopped doing it</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ncaa-proposal-nil-college-athlete-pay-womens-sports-gender-equity-2023-12">How the NCAA's revolutionary proposal to pay players could be a "huge win" for women athletes</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/longevity-anti-aging-supplements-risks-2023-12">The risks of taking supplements for longevity, from bleeding to kidney failure</a>.</li></ul><h2>What's happening today</h2><ul><li>The Game Awards for video games is tonight in Los Angeles. Games that were nominated include "Resident Evil 4," "Super Mario Bros. Wonder," and "Viewfinder."</li><li>Happy birthday, Sara Bareilles. Larry Bird, Terrell Owens, Emily Browning, and Pete Alonso were also born on this day.</li><li>Earnings today: Broadcom, Lululemon, Docusign, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/earnings-calendar">and other companies</a>.</li></ul><h2>For your bookmarks</h2>Conversation starters<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/started-conversations-with-strangers-to-gain-confidence-2023-12"></a><div type="image" title="Two friend sitting at a coffee shop petting a dog." height="1414" width="2121" msid="105817684" hostid="261" sizebytes="219428"></div>"I started conversations with 10 strangers over a month to gain confidence in my dating life." Their <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/started-conversations-with-strangers-to-gain-confidence-2023-12">top takeaways</a> include that "hello" and "how are you?" aren't great conversation starters.The Insider Today team: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/dan-defrancesco">Dan DeFrancesco</a>, senior editor and anchor, in New York City. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/diamond-naga-siu">Diamond Naga Siu</a>, senior reporter, in San Diego. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/hallam-bullock">Hallam Bullock</a>, editor, in London. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/lisa-ryan">Lisa Ryan</a>, executive editor, in New York.

News of OpenAI workers' big bluff is the latest crack in Sam Altman's facade

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A <keyword id="2891433" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="bitcoin-wallet">Bitcoin wallet</keyword> is a digital app or program that allows you to securely send and receive bitcoins. </li><li><keyword id="6354947" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bitcoin">Bitcoin</keyword> wallets do not actually store funds, but instead store the private keys that give you access to your <keyword id="6357017" type="DEFINITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="cryptocurrency">cryptocurrency</keyword>.</li><li>Bitcoin wallets come as either hardware or software, with hardware wallets offering the most security.</li></ul>"Not your keys, not your coin" is a popular saying within some parts of the cryptocurrency community, and for good reason.It's a reminder that if you choose to store your <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-bitcoin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bitcoin</a> on a cryptocurrency exchange account, the exchange actually owns the key to your digital assets. And if you don't own the private keys needed to transfer and access your bitcoin, you don't control it.So how exactly do you control your keys and, by extension, your bitcoin? A dedicated Bitcoin wallet. Bitcoin wallets are designed to store the private keys to your cryptocurrency, enabling you to move your funds without having to rely on a third-party. Here's what you need to know about what a Bitcoin wallet is and how it works. <h2>What is a Bitcoin wallet?</h2>A Bitcoin wallet is a software program that allows you to transfer and store bitcoin. Bitcoin isn't technically "stored" anywhere so the wallet actually stores a private security key that corresponds to the Bitcoin address of your wallet. The key is actually what gives you ownership and control of bitcoin stored in it, making it an invaluable tool as an investor.A Bitcoin wallet is "a way for you to store your digital keys, or access, to certain locations on the blockchain," says <a href="https://www.lexsokolin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lex Sokolin</a>, global fintech co-head at blockchain firm ConsenSys.Similar to other cryptocurrencies, bitcoin is stored in addresses on its blockchain, which is essentially a ledger or database that can't be modified or erased. Each address has two keys (i.e., alphanumeric codes) associated with it, a public key and a private key. The public key is what other people can use to send bitcoin to it, and the private key is what you'd use to send bitcoin from it.This is precisely why some investors prefer storing their bitcoin on a wallet instead of a third-party platform. A wallet holds the private key, which is necessary to validate that the true owner of a Bitcoin address is really requesting that bitcoin be sent from that address. In the news: There is <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-price-btc-inaccessible-cryptocurrency-digital-currency-wallet-security-blockchain-2021-1-1029961482" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$140 billion of inaccessible bitcoin</a> in the world as a result to lost or locked-off crypto wallets. If you decide to buy a bitcoin wallet, it's extremely important to keep it and your password safe.<h2>Types of bitcoin wallets</h2>All bitcoin and cryptocurrency wallets revolve around the storage of a private key. When it comes to wallets, you basically have two options: hardware or software.<h3>Hardware wallets</h3>Hardware wallets are generally small, handheld devices that store your bitcoin offline and can be plugged into your computer in order to verify transactions. "A hardware wallet stores private keys through a device that is not your computer, while a software wallet runs on your computer or phone," says Sokolin.Hardware wallets remain offline at all times (and are often referred to as "cold" wallets for this reason), theoretically making them safer when compared to their digital counterparts.While the cost of hardware wallets vary from one manufacturer and model to another, wallets can generally range from $60 to $180. Wallets at the lower end of this spectrum will be just as secure as those at the more expensive end, although they may lack certain extra features, such as Bluetooth connectability and support for a wider range of cryptocurrencies.<h3>Software wallets</h3>Software wallets, also known as "hot" wallets, can be accessed either via a desktop browser or smartphone app. Whereas hardware wallets are used for long-term storage of large amounts, software wallets are better for storing smaller amounts and making daily spending and receiving payments convenient and fast."A software wallet is an app on your phone or computer containing your private keys. Because it's usually connected to the internet, it's theoretically hackable, though the most reputable software wallets are considered extremely difficult to hack," says <a href="https://www.glengoodman.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glen Goodman</a>, a cryptocurrency analyst and author of The Crypto Trader.Software wallets can come in three varieties:<ul><li>Desktop wallets: These wallets are installed directly onto a computer, where the private keys are stored on its hard drive. Funds can be accessed only from that computer, allowing you to have full control over your wallet. </li><li>Mobile wallets: These wallets function the same way as desktop wallets, but designed for the mobile experience. Mobile wallets are convenient and can be used on the go, but can carry a greater risk of malware.</li><li>Web wallets: These are wallets that can be accessed through a web browser, oftentimes hosted by a provider who manages the security of your private keys. </li></ul>In theory, software wallets are more user-friendly than hardware alternatives, if only because they don't require you to keep track of the whereabouts of a physical device. Some software wallets also offer built-in trading features, so you can quickly sell your crypto through their app or desktop site.Another advantage of the software wallet is that it can be cheaper than a hardware equivalent. Many of the most popular software wallets charge only transaction fees, which are set by the network of the cryptocurrency you're using. That said, with average bitcoin fees hitting as high as $30 during peak periods, multiple transactions can certainly take a bite out of your wallet.Important: Paper wallets are an outdated and highly risky way to store your own bitcoin. As the name suggests, they're pieces of paper on which you write the private and public key to your Bitcoin address, which can be auto-generated using a dedicated website. <h2>Why are Bitcoin wallets so important?</h2>The main advantage of a Bitcoin wallet is that it protects investors from potential cryptocurrency exchange hacks. While the major exchanges are improving their cybersecurity constantly, breaches <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/russian-cryptocurrency-exchange-livecoin-hacked-and-lost-control/articleshow/79962952.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still occur from time to time</a>, with Binance - the world's biggest exchange - being <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/btc-binance-suffers-40-million-hack-2019-5-1028182318" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hacked as recently as May 2019</a>."If someone has a very large amount of cryptocurrency, an offline hardware wallet is a must. For people who only have small amounts of crypto, a decent software wallet can provide a reasonable level of security for most purposes" says Goodman.Having your own wallet means you're protected from potential hacks, and yet it also protects users from situations where an exchange freezes a customer's funds or account. For example, popular cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase <a href="https://help.coinbase.com/en/coinbase/other-topics/other/does-coinbase-freeze-accounts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acknowledges</a> that in "extremely rare circumstances," it will prevent access to customer funds when required to comply with an order from a court or other authority.<h2>Best bitcoin wallets</h2><div type="image" title="ledger wallet" height="1666" width="2222" msid="81992331" hostid="261"></div>When it comes to hardware wallets, the two major brands are <a href="https://www.ledger.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ledger</a> and <a href="https://trezor.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trezor</a>. While these makers are reputable, there are a number of other brands worth checking out before you make a final decision.<ul><li>Best overall: <a href="https://www.exodus.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Exodus</a></li><li>Best for beginners: <a href="https://shiftcrypto.ch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shift Crypto</a></li><li>Best for advanced users: <a href="https://electrum.org/#home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Electrum </a></li><li>Best for mobile users: <a href="https://wallet.mycelium.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MyCelium </a></li><li>Best for Bitcoin-only users: <a href="https://coinkite.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coinkite</a></li></ul> For the full review and a complete rundown, check out our picks for the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-bitcoin-wallet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best Bitcoin wallets</a>. <h2>The financial takeaway</h2>Bitcoin wallets are a great way to take full control of your cryptocurrency funds. The most secure wallets are hardware-based, since they involve the use of devices that never go online. That said, software wallets may afford a greater level of convenience and ease.However, while cryptocurrency wallets help you gain control of your funds, they require you to step up your security game. You generally need to store hardware wallets - and their seed phrases - in secure places, otherwise you may have to kiss goodbye your bitcoin in the event of loss or theft.<a data-type="5fd2657a83bd0b4a7c28e05f">What is Bitcoin? A beginner's guide to the world's most popular type of cryptocurrency, and tips for investing in it</a><a data-type="600f72e1fdb68e08982d5365">A bitcoin IRA lets you profit from the cryptocurrency's potential gains in a tax-advantaged way</a><a data-type="5fd1032bbca41b06e2352e87">Bitcoin taxes: Understanding the rules and how to report cryptocurrency on your return</a><a data-type="5ffdcc97ead9691ea755d3e3">Cryptocurrency is an electronic, private type of money - here's how it works and how you can invest in it</a>

How a Bitcoin wallet gives you more security and control over your digital assets

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Individual investors can invest in <keyword id="18712" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Gold" source="Orion">gold</keyword> in two ways: physical <keyword id="6384667" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bullion" source="Orion">bullion</keyword> (bars or coins), or securities (stocks, funds) that represent gold.</li><li>While bullion is a more direct, "pure" way to own gold, securities are easier to hold and can appreciate.</li><li>Analysts recommend investing 5 to 10% of your portfolio in gold, as a long-term inflation hedge and diversifier.</li></ul>Ah, gold. It's rare, accepted everywhere, and governments can't print it at will. These are the reasons that some folks - fondly known as "gold bugs" - have always invested heavily in the honey-hued metal. And in times of financial chaos, they're not the only ones."History has shown that during economic slowdowns, from the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-caused-the-great-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Great Depression</a> to the COVID-19 pandemic, gold appreciates in value," says financial analyst James Jason of Mitrade, a commodities trading platform.No matter what the state of the economy, gold offers a good way to diversify your assets. Many financial advisors recommend keeping anywhere from 5% to 10% of your portfolio in it - perhaps up to 15% in times of crisis.Individuals have two main ways to invest in gold: <ul><li>Physical gold, or bullion (the most obvious, but not necessarily the least expensive) </li><li>Gold securities such as stocks, funds, and futures (less of a pure play, but more convenient)</li></ul>Let's go digging into both.<h2>How to invest in physical gold</h2>Physical gold comes in many forms and sizes, each with its own characteristics and costs. <h3>Gold bullion</h3>Bullion often refers to gold in bulk form, <a href="https://blog.providentmetals.com/poured-bars-vs-ingots-major-differences-similarities.htm#.X1ZSXXlKhhE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">usually bars or ingots</a>. Typically, gold bars are poured and ingots are pressed (a cheaper production method). As a result, bars command a higher premium, or added cost, over the daily spot price of gold than ingots. Ranging in size from quarter-oz. wafer to a 430-oz. brick, bars, and ingots are stamped with purity, origin, weight, and where the bullion was minted. Not all gold is equal, especially when it comes to purity and weight. Investment-grade gold is <a href="http://www.lbma.org.uk/cn/downloads/LBMA_Interactive.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least 99.5% pure</a>.Bullion bars and ingots <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0135-investing-bullion-and-bullion-coins" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are sold by</a> banks and gold dealers. Banks often offer physical gold at a lower-markup than dealers but finding a branch that actually has it may be harder.<h3>Gold coins</h3>Minted coins are another common way to buy physical gold. Not to be confused with old rare coins that numismatists collect, these coins are new, minted by governments for investors. The prices they fetch are based on their gold content -aka their "melt value"- plus a 1%-5% premium. Although several governments issue gold coins, for maximum liquidity, most buyers stick with the most widely circulated and recognized:<ul><li>American Gold Eagle</li><li>Australian Gold Nugget</li><li>Canadian Maple Leaf</li><li>South African Krugerrand</li></ul>Minted bullion coins are available from major banks, coin dealers, brokerage firms, and precious metal dealers.<h2>Pros and cons of physical gold</h2>For many people, the whole point of owning gold is to own the physical stuff. It's the actual metal that has most of the inherent investment advantages. <h3>Advantages of physical gold</h3><ul><li>Inflation hedge. Advocates argue that, as a tangible asset, gold maintains an intrinsic value that always reflects the cost of living. There's an old saying that an ounce of gold equals the cost of a quality business suit. That held in 1934 when men's suits fetched $35, and it does today too, with gold close to $2,000 an ounce (of course, that suit better be a Boglioli). </li><li>Counterweight to stocks. Like other commodities, gold acts as a counterfoil to equities, usually moving in the opposite direction of the stock market. Case in point: When the subprime mortgage meltdown began in 2008, ushering in the Great Recession, gold-which for years had been trading in the $400-600 range-shot up to $1,000 per ounce and kept going for the next three years.</li><li>Safe haven. Gold's seen as a safe haven in uncertain times or whenever there's socio-political turmoil. After the 2016 Brexit vote, its price rose over 10% in one month, for example. "Owning gold," says Dennis Notchick, a certified financial planner at Stratos Wealth Advisors, "appeals to individuals who are concerned about the collapse of global <keyword id="31671" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="markets" source="Orion">markets</keyword> or other threats to a government's ability to back its currency." </li><li>Virtually indestructible. "Physical gold cannot be hacked or erased," says Charles Stevens, COO of Bullion Box Subscriptions. (Remember, we're thinking in catastrophic terms here.) "Gold cannot be destroyed by a natural disaster and it will not get worn down in time."</li></ul><h3>Drawbacks of physical gold </h3><ul><li>Expensive to hold. Storing gold at home carries enormous risks of theft or loss. Keeping it in a commercial facility incurs storage costs, often based on the size and value of the holdings (anywhere from .5% to 2%). If you're not using a professional storage facility, you'll want to insure your gold, too - another ongoing charge. </li><li>Illiquid. Physical gold can't be sold with a press of the button or a call to a broker. Even with dealers acting for you, a sale can get days or weeks to settle, plus you have to arrange for shipping. </li><li>Does not produce income or profit. A $1,000 investment in bullion buys $1,000 - period. Physical gold doesn't generate interest or dividends. The only potential for appreciation is if there's a jump in prices that lets you sell at a profit (and even that can be compromised by the time, effort, and various assessment costs that accompany selling).</li></ul><h2>How to invest in gold securities</h2>Given the hassles and limits of bullion, gold securities - in the form of stocks, funds, or options - are often a better choice, especially for novice investors. They may not be as pretty, but they're infinitely more practical:<h3>Gold stocks</h3>Buying shares of companies in the mining, refining, or other aspects of the gold production business is one way to play. About 300 of these companies, aka "miners," are listed on major stock exchanges. Their share prices generally reflect the movement of the metal itself. However, "the growth and return in the stock depend on the expected future earnings of the company, not just on the value of gold," notes the World Gold Council, an industry trade group.<h3>Gold ETFs and mutual funds</h3>More conservative investors can buy shares in gold-oriented mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These funds have varying investment approaches: gold-backed ETFs tend to invest directly in physical gold, while mutual funds favor gold mining stocks. Some funds invest in both. But all offer a liquid, low-cost entry into the gold market that is more diversified, and so lower-risk, than buying equities outright.<h3>Gold options</h3>More seasoned investors might consider an option on a gold <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">futures</a> contract. Like any financial option, these represent the right - but not the obligation - to buy or sell an asset (gold in this case) at a specific price during a specified window of time. You can buy an option to bet on whether gold's going up or going down, and if the market moves the opposite way, all you've lost is the small amount you've paid for the option. Gold options trade on a division of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) known as COMEX. Gold options can be bought on gold bullion or on gold ETFs.<h2>Pros and cons of gold securities</h2>Like any financial asset, gold securities have both benefits and drawbacks.<h3>Advantages of gold securities</h3>Along with some of the general benefits of gold ownership, securities offer:<ul><li>Liquidity. Trading as they do on major exchanges, gold securities are obviously easier to buy and sell than bullion. No storage costs, either - aside from any management or account fees your broker or fund manager might charge.</li><li>Compounded returns. While dividends offered by miners are typically average at best, they are greater than no dividends at all, which is what you get from physical gold. And there is also the possibility of appreciation in the share price.</li><li>Low initial investment. The most cost-efficient way to invest in general, mutual funds and ETFs let you in on the game at a far lower cost. With the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/gold-price" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spot price </a>of an ounce of gold around $2,000, $180 for a share of the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/etfs/spdr-gold-shares-us78463v1070" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GLD</a>) - equal to 1/10th of an ounce of gold - is, well, spot on. </li></ul><h3>Drawbacks of gold securities</h3><ul><li>Volatility. Just as with any company, a miner's operating costs, reserves, and management all play a factor in its performance. As a result, shares prices tend to be more volatile: If bullion sinks 10%, gold stocks often plummet 15%. Miners definitely "have a higher speculative aspect to them," says investment strategist Lyn Alden, who follows precious metals and currencies. </li><li>Systematic risks. A gold mining company's share performance also reflects in political and economic conditions in its native country. Some of the biggest operations are in Africa, Russia, and Latin America - places that have known their share of turbulence and are often avoided by socially responsible and institutional investors.</li><li>You don't own gold. Gold securities are less of a pure play. They represent physical gold but you <a href="https://nationwidecoins.com/gold-stocks-vs-physical-gold-portfolio-options-explained/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">don't have the right</a> to redeem them for the actual metal. So they don't provide the protection against a paper currency or financial market meltdown that the metal itself does. </li></ul><h2>The financial takeaway</h2>So, should you go for the gold? Though it usually becomes part of the conversation during times of economic crisis or political uncertainty, gold as part of your portfolio makes sense anytime - as a diversifier of your holdings, if nothing else. But how much to invest, and what form to invest in, depends on your own tolerance for risk and desire for convenience.<a data-type="61143d4737043a45f7070cd8">Digital assets are becoming the new normal - here's how to buy cryptocurrency</a><a data-type="613a241ebd69125fd4743686">Start investing in mutual funds in 4 steps</a><a data-type="6140c7ba4dde6127641ef2ec">What to know about staking - the process of locking up crypto holdings to earn rewards and interest</a><a data-type="613a2035b0b35f5c695cf174">5-step beginner's guide to investing in index funds</a>

How to start investing in gold - and the major benefits and drawbacks to know about

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Simon Hayter/Getty ImagesFinding data dumps: It's as easy as smash-and-grab.</div></div></div>In September 2015, <a href="http://gizmodo.com/security-hell-private-medical-data-of-over-1-5-million-1731548110">medical insurance claim company Systema Software made headlines for all the wrong reasons</a>: 1.5 million Americans' data was publicly available online via an unsecured database, including everything from drug test results to social security numbers.Then in December that year, <a href="https://www.databreaches.net/191-million-voters-personal-info-exposed-by-mis-configured-database/">191 million US voters' records were found easily accessible online</a>, again due to a misconfigured database. Later that month, <a href="http://www.csoonline.com/article/3017171/security/database-leak-exposes-3-3-million-hello-kitty-fans.html">3.3 million Hello Kitty fans' data was also exposed</a> - including info on nearly 200,000 minors.In April 2016, there was a second voter database discovered unprotected online - <a href="https://mackeeper.com/blog/post/217-breaking-massive-data-breach-of-mexican-voter-datahttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36128745">this one containing data on 87 million Mexican citizens</a>. In June, <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/world-check-terrorism-database-leaks-online-security-researcher-chris-vickery-claims-thomson-reuters-2016-6">it was a huge terrorist and "heightened-risk individual" database</a>, containing 2.2 million records.All of these incidents have one thing in common: They were discovered by a prolific security researcher called Chris Vickery.By day, Vickery - who lives in Texas - works in tech support for a law firm. "But by night I do the security research stuff," he told Business Insider.If you know where to look, the modern internet is littered with unsecured and misconfigured databases - often containing highly sensitive personal information on up to millions of individuals.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0mlhrtb4W0">MacKeeper/YouTube</a>Chris Vickery, in the flesh.</div></div></div>Vickery trawls the web looking for these databases, reporting notable ones to the companies responsible, and helping them patch the problems. He uses freely available software like search engine Shodan and network scanner NetScan to help him. The tools "let me look at general open ports on the internet," Vickery says. "Things that require no password, no username, or anything like that, and are open and exposed to the world."Given the availability of these tools, it's a certainty that many others are doing similar, with more criminal aims in mind.After all, the potential for abuse - from identity theft to blackmail - is obvious.We called Vickery up for a chat about the most shocking things he's ever found, why things aren't getting better, what motivates him to do what he does - and what ordinary people can do to try and protect their data.This interview has been edited for length and clarity.Rob Price: Why do you do this? What attracts you to this research?Vickery: Well it seems so obvious that somebody should be doing this. I found a few big things early on, and it kind of just prompted me to keep doing it. The bottom line is, I'm helping people out. I'm protecting the innocent person out there from identity theft, and that's really what keeps me going.Price: What's the biggest or most shocking thing you've ever discovered?Vickery: One of the early ones - probably the Systema breach. That affected about 1.5 million people in the US, and that was like social security numbers, and doctor notes, and litigation claims having to do with insurance, as well as investigatory notes and - you know, all sorts of things.It was just way more in-depth than I figured anyone would be keeping in a database that was exposed to the public.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Reuters/Tyrone SiuOne of Chris Vickery's discoveries is 2.2 million records from a Hello Kitty forum.</div></div></div>Price: It feels like there are <a href="http://motherboard.vice.com/tag/Another+Day+Another+Hack">new data breaches on a daily basis</a>. Why does this keep happening? Why haven't companies wised up yet?Vickery: It's profitable not to be secure. I think that's the problem. It's that businesses that operate in an insecure manner are making money still, and even when they get caught not acting securely there isn't a big enough penalty to persuade them otherwise. That's the biggest problem.Price: So what should be done?Vickery: A lot of people don't approve of government regulations and everything. I don't necessarily think the government needs to regulate things like this, but there needs to be bigger penalties.I think the fines and the investigations whens something does go wrong need to be so nightmarish that no company would even risk it.On the PR front, people are exposed to so many breaches these days it's hard to make much progress on consumer awareness, because they just got exhausted by the number of breaches they hear about. So people are caring less and less about each one.And companies lie too much about how well they're securing things, so I'm not at all confident that even if people got more information from the corporations it would actually be accurate.Price: Are things getting better, or worse?Vickery: The ones I'm finding are slowly getting cleaned up, just because of the amount of notifications that I send out. But in general, the ones that actually get hacked - there seem to be more and more people getting in on that.I don't think things are getting better. I don't know if they're getting progressively worse or staying about the same, but I definitely would not say things are getting any better.Price: But what can ordinary people - the ones whose data is compromised in hacks - do about all this?Vickery: It's hard to say what an ordinary person can do, because they're not really in charge of their data. They may supply it, but really, your options for being more secure about these situations just aren't there.One approach that I take is I limit my online footprint - I don't have a LinkedIn account, I don't have an active Twitter account - but for a lot of people, that's not possible. They have to have those things.But keep an eye out for unnecessary requests for information is what I would say to the average person. Don't supply information that you don't necessarily need to supply.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/theyoungthousands/2482389516/">youngthousands/Flickr (CC)</a>Realistically, there's not much you can do if a company is storing your data in an unsafe manner.</div></div></div>Price: Have you ever run into any legal issues in the course of your research?Vickery: Not criminal issues. There's civil issues, and there's criminal issues - some people have gotten upset, and on a civil side tried to claim that I was defaming them, or doing nasty things. But as far as the criminal aspect of things go, every organisation I've dealt with - law enforcement or regulatory enforcement - none of them have even suggested that what I do has a criminal aspect.On the civil side, ultimately people calm down and realise I'm not a bad guy, and it kind of works out that way.Price: How many unsecured databases do you think you've discovered, and how big do they tend to be?Vickery: Across my lifetime, I've found probably a couple hundred.The ones I've actually notified and helped secure, maybe 80 or 90. But when I come across something, and there's only 10 or 20 records in there, that's not really something I even bother with any more because those are so common, so it's hard to say really.The ones I go out of the way and notify generally have several thousand records in them. I find so many of the small ones that the average is a couple of hundred records. When I found one with a 100-200 thousand records, that's pretty exceptional, then when you get up to a million, two million - that's pretty rare, but they are out there.Price: Do you think there are other hackers doing the same thing you are but with less honourable intentions?Vickery: I'm certain there are. I'm sure I'm not the only person out there doing this.It appears I'm one of the few that is actually notifying companies of it, but I'm positive there are plenty of other people that are doing the same thing for nefarious purposes.Price: So what's the future of data security?Vickery: The future of data breaches - I don't think it will be finding them, downloading them, and selling them. I think the future will be modification of them.I think the people are going to be using their access levels to databases they find or hack or discover and offering services to change data and affect decision-making. That's what I think is the next evolutionary step in the war of data breaches. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/no-mans-sky-the-most-anticipated-game-of-the-year-2016-8">The most anticipated game of the year was designed by Brits and it will take you 584 billion years to finish</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="1oNGI5NTE64-mYtVb0-tXbBX8LbpU25o" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

You Searched For "rare gaming username crypto theft" and got 7 results

A teen accused of a $36.5 million crypto theft used some of it to buy a rare gaming username — which the police used to track him down

Carla Mozée

People are going to war over rare social media usernames

Jordan Parker Erb

A hacker just stole over $600 million in crypto. Experts explain the historic swindle and why cyberattacks shouldn't discourage adoption of digital assets.

Phil Rosen

News of OpenAI workers' big bluff is the latest crack in Sam Altman's facade

Dan DeFrancesco

How a Bitcoin wallet gives you more security and control over your digital assets

Simon Chandler

How to start investing in gold - and the major benefits and drawbacks to know about

Jim Probasco

A security expert who discovers data breaches affecting millions in his spare time explains why he does it

Rob Price

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides