Bengaluru-headquartered information technology solutions provider Mphasis on Thursday announced a partnership with Israel-based QEDIT to offer privacy-enhancing technology solutions on Blockchain to enterprises.

QEDIT is an enterprise solution provider that uses privacy-enhancing technology and Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) cryptography to help companies transact and leverage their business data in a privacy-compliant manner, Mphasis said.

Under this partnership, the two entities will co- innovate and develop ZKP solutions to enable enterprises fight fraud, verify identities, and uphold compliance with local data privacy regulations, it said in a statement.

All this while preserving full control over proprietary and confidential information, Mphasis, specialising in cloud and cognitive services, said.

Blockchain is structured in a way that anyone with access to a blockchain transaction can view data provided across all nodes.

This inherent principle of transparency is an obstacle for companies that wish to gain efficiencies using a shared ledger, but simultaneously need to protect confidential transactional details.

QEDITs Private Asset Transfer solution employs ZKPs, a cryptographic algorithm that enables Party A to share the proof of knowledge with Party B without sharing the underlying data itself, the statement said.

This technique can be leveraged by Mphasis clients in regulated industries, especially financial services.

QEDITs solution can be integrated into large application projects for Mphasis Financial Services clients, it was stated.

ZKP solutions are slated to demand techniques that secure information further on blockchain and Mphasis believes ZKP will become that horizontal layer of security for digital identification, it said.

You have reached your limit for free articles this month.

Register to The Hindu for free and get unlimited access for 30 days.

Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.

Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.

A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.

Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.

A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.

We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.

Not convinced? Know why you should pay for news.

*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper ,crossword, iPhone, iPad mobile applications and print. Our plans enhance your reading experience.

Originally posted here:
Mphasis inks pact with QEDIT to offer privacy-enhancing tech - The Hindu

Data breaches are one of the major concerns of organisations these days. The technology advancement has increased the risk of data security, for instance, the increased IoT deployments in India has raised cyber attacks by 22 percent in 2019. Also, Indian organizations have lost about 12.8 crores on an average due to these data breaches within a year. Data breaches have turned out to be a serious problem to the organizations these days , but how can data be preserved in this technological era is a million-dollar question at present. But sadly, data breaches preventive measures are a way to less. To protect their data, individuals could set up stronger passwords, frequently track credit card statements, histories and so on. Thus, technology could be utilized to address this issue. Blockchain is an ideal technology that could enhance the security of the organizations.

Embracing blockchain enables organizations to create immutable, decentralized ledger which could drastically reduce the chances of data breaches. In order to protect the data, organizations could use encryption. But, that just provides an extra layer of security to the system which is not reliable as compared to the security offered by the technologies. But, blockchain ensures extreme security since it offers a special feature known as Cryptography. In combination with decentralization, cryptography provides an additional layer of protection to the users. Furthermore, cryptography is an intricated algorithm, which replicates firewall for attacks, thus, aids in preventing various data breaches.

The data stored in the blockchain is hashed cryptographically; this process hides the original content of the data. Every block in the chain has a unique hash and contains the hash of the previous block. By interlinking, the hash addresses blockchain technology eliminates the possibility of manipulating or tampering of the data stored in the structure. To access the data stored in this structure a private key is provided, but transactions require public key thus, tightens the security. Also, hashing is very complicated which restricts data altering or reversing. Additionally, the private key holders are restricted to access the operations granted for public keys holders. Thus, makes the access permission much stricter.

With proper implementation of blockchain technology, the organizations could counter the data attacks. This technology could aid individuals to protect their personal data, and save the organizations from highly expensive cyberattacks.

View post:
Will Blockchain be the Solution for Data Breaches? - Siliconindia.com

Subaru Celebrates Outstanding Science Writing and Illustration for Children and Young Adults Through the "Subaru Loves Learning" Initiative

CAMDEN, N.J., Jan. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Subaru of America, Inc., along with the American Association for the Advancement of Science(AAAS), announced the winners of the 2020 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books. A powerful and visually spectacular evolution story of animal survival; a one-of-a-kind look into the mysterious lives of owls; an introduction to the nearly 200,000 species living with us in our own homes; and the art of cracking ciphers and cryptography are the stories told by the winners of the 2020 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books.

Subaru of America and the American Association for the Advancement of Science Announce the 2020 AAAS/Subaru Book SB&F Prize Winners. Pictured: Middle Grades Science Book Winner - Owling: Enter the World of Mysterious Birds of the Night, by Mark Wilson.

The award program, now in its 15th year, aims to spur the creation of new, high-quality books about science for children of all ages. Awards are given in four categories: children's science picture book, middle grades science book, young adult science book and hands-on science book. The prizes are presented to the authors, except in the case of the picture book award, which is given to both the author and the illustrator. As part of the Subaru Loves Learning initiative, Subaru and AAAS will donate the winning books to K-12 schools across the country through their local participating Subaru retailers. Last year, Subaru along with 541 retailers, participated and donated over 91,000 books to local schools. Since the program's inception in 2015, the Subaru Loves Learning initiative has provided over 278,000 books to K-12 schools across the country.

"At Subaru, we believe education is a fundamental right and are dedicated to supporting organizations, like AAAS, tobroaden the world of children through the study of science and innovation," said Thomas J. Doll, President and Chief Executive Officer, Subaru of America Inc. "Through the Subaru Loves Learning initiative and our partnership with AAAS, Subaru of America and our retailers have been able to provide an enriching and more accessible science education for K-12 schools by helping to recognize and donate books that enlarge the world of science for children. We congratulate this year's award winners, whose books will inspire the next generation of science leaders."

Judged by panels of librarians, scientists and educators, the winning works feature accurate science and cannot perpetuate misconceptions or stereotypes. The criteria also require that each book be age-appropriate: For the youngest readers, a winning picture book should pique their curiosity about the natural world around them; for older readers, books should encourage the discussion and understanding of scientific ideas. Hands-on science books for any age must include inquiry-based activities that encourage problem-solving skills.

Winners will be honored at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. in February.

The Winners:

Children's Science Picture BookMoth: An Evolution Story, by Isabel Thomas. Illustrated by Daniel Egnus. Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2019.

Mothis the remarkable evolution story that captures the struggle of animal survival against the background of an evolving human world in a unique and atmospheric introduction to Darwin's theory of Natural Selection. Against a lush backdrop of lichen-covered trees, the peppered moth lies hidden. Until the world begins to change... Along come people with their magnificent machines which stain the land with soot. In a beautiful landscape changed by humans how will one little moth survive? A clever picture book text about the extraordinary way in which animals have evolved, intertwined with the complication of human intervention. This remarkable retelling of the story of the peppered moth is the perfect introduction to natural selection and evolution for children.

Story continues

Middle Grades Science BookOwling: Enter the World of the Mysterious Birds of the Night, by Mark Wilson. Storey Publishing, 2019.

From Hedwig, the Snowy Owl of Harry Potter fame, to Winnie-the-Pooh's beloved friend Owl, this wide-eyed bird of the night has found its way into young hearts and imaginations everywhere. Owling invites young readers into the world of real-life owls, to learn about their fascinating behaviors and abilities. Wildlife photojournalist and nature educator Mark Wilson presents a one-of-a-kind look into the mysterious lives of these distinctive birds. Dramatic images of the 19 owl species of North America nesting, flying, hunting, and catching prey are accompanied by information about the birds' silent flight, remarkable eyes and ears, haunting calls, and fascinating night life. Kids will learn how to spot owls; identify their calls, plumage, and pellets; and even carry on a hooting conversation with a nearby owl.

Young Adult Science BookNever Home Alone: From Microbes to Millipedes, Camel Crickets, and Honeybees, the Natural History of Where We Live, by Rob Dunn. Basic Books, 2018.

Even when the floors are sparkling clean and the house seems silent, our domestic domain is wild beyond imagination. In Never Home Alone, biologist Rob Dunn introduces us to the nearly 200,000 species living with us in our own homes, from the Egyptian meal moths in our cupboards and camel crickets in our basements to the lactobacillus lounging on our kitchen counters. You are not alone. Yet, as we obsess over sterilizing our homes and separating our spaces from nature, we are unwittingly cultivating an entirely new playground for evolution. These changes are reshaping the organisms that live with usprompting some to become more dangerous, while undermining those species that benefit our bodies or help us keep more threatening organisms at bay. No one who reads this engrossing, revelatory book will look at their homes in the same way again.

Hands-On Science BookCan You Crack the Code?: A Fascinating History of Ciphers and Cryptography, by Ella Schwartz. Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2019.

Codes can carry big secrets! Throughout history, lots of good guys and lots of bad guys have used codes to keep their messages under wraps. This fun and flippable nonfiction features stories of hidden treasures, war-time maneuverings, and contemporary hacking as well as explaining the mechanics behind the codes in accessible and kid friendly forms. Sidebars call out activities that invite the reader to try their own hand at cracking and crafting their own secret messages. This is the launch of an exciting new series that invites readers into a STEM topic through compelling historical anecdotes, scientific backup, and DIY projects.

About Subaru of America, Inc.Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporationof Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 630 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company's vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA has donated more than $120 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged more than 40,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do.

For additional information visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About AAASThe American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science, as well as Science Translational Medicine; Science Signaling; a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances; Science Immunology; and Science Robotics. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes nearly 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. For additional information about AAAS, see http://www.aaas.org.

Diane Anton Subaru of America, Inc. 856-488-5093 danton@subaru.com

Anne Q. Hoy AAAS 202-326-6696 ahoy@aaas.org

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/subaru-of-america-and-the-american-association-for-the-advancement-of-science-announce-the-2020-aaassubaru-book-sbf-prize-winners-300991564.html

SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc.

Go here to see the original:
Subaru Of America And The American Association For The Advancement Of Science Announce The 2020 AAAS/Subaru Book SB&F Prize Winners - Yahoo Finance

The report offers an unbiased opinion about the factors that likely to drive the global quantum cryptography market and restrain it. The study contains a brief profile of key players in the industry and their upcoming market plans and current developments.

The global quantum cryptography market is expected to grow from USD 107.02 Million in 2017 to USD 759.51 Million by 2025 at a CAGR of 39.61% during the forecast period from 2018-2025, according to the new report published by Fior Markets. The rising cyber-attack occurrences due to growing digitalization, increasing cyber security investments, and sprouting next-generation wireless network technologies is driving the market growth.

Solutions segment valued around USD 60.82 Million in 2017

Component segment covers solutions and services. The solutions segment valued around USD 60.82 Million in 2017 due to increasing need to encrypt critical information without any leakage. The increasing deployment of cloud and IoT technologies as well as wireless network technologies has majorly increased the demand for the quantum cryptography solutions.

IT and telecom segment is held largest market share of 23.11% in 2017

Vertical segment is divided into government and defense, BFSI, retail, healthcare, automotive, IT and telecom, and others. IT and telecom segment dominated the market with the market size of USD 24.73 Million in 2017. This increasing industry size was due to necessity for secured network owed to network vulnerabilities and privacy concerns. With the help of quantum cryptography, third party is unable to encrypted data and this has increased deployment and integration of quantum cryptography systems. This will decreased the cyber security attacks and will further lead to the growth of IT and telecom segment in future.

Network security segment is anticipated to hold market share of 38.32% over the forecast period

Application segment is segmented into database encryption, application security, and network security. Network security segment is anticipated to hold market share of 38.32% over the forecast period. Here, contributing factors are demand for integrity and usability of networks, prevention and misuse due to unauthorized access, and denial of network-accessible resources.

DOWNLOAD FREE SAMPLE REPORT AThttps://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/376071/request-sample

Regional Segmentation Analysis:

The market is analysed on the basis of five regions namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East and Africa. North America region valued around USD 36.80 million in 2017. Increasing cyber-attacks, presence of major players, higher adoption of encryption-based application, and rapid technological advancements are some of the factors that led to the growth of quantum cryptography market in North America region.

Competitive Analysis:

The major players of market include Key players in the quantum cryptography market are QuintessenceLabs, QuantumCTek, ID Quantique, Quantum Xchange, Crypta Labs, Qubitekk, Post-Quantum, Aurea Technologies, qutools, Infineon, Mitsubishi Electric, IBM, NuCrypt, Qasky, MagiQ Technologies, ISARA, QuNu Labs, HP, NEC, Toshiba, and Microsoft, others.

Customization of the Report:The report can be customized as per client requirements. For further queries, you can contact us onsales@fiormarkets.comor +1-201-465-4211. Our executives will be pleased to understand your requirements and offer you the best-suited reports.

The rest is here:
Quantum Cryptography Market - Report serves as a Repository of Analysis and Information for every Facet of the Market 2025 - Media Releases - CSO...

Parth Vig Tuesday, 21 January 2020, 04:31 EST Modified date: Tuesday, 21 January 2020, 04:31 EST

Cryptography is the technology that is the next generation of security management. It has been made famous worldwide and spoken about everywhere. As an initiative to strengthen this, a special lecture on cryptographic applications and blockchain technology in Henan Province held in Zhengzhou on 19th January.

More than 500 people, comprising of members of provincial government-owned enterprises, the informatization departments of colleges and universities, and commercial password practitioners attended the speech headed by Professor Yang Zhenning of Tsinghua University Advanced Research Institute.

He is also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a member of the International Cryptographic Association.

The Wang Xiaoyun Henan Provincial Cryptographic Administration invited him for a speech for a better knowledge of cryptography and blockchain. Wang mentions that the year 2020 is the first year when China would see the full implementation of the Cryptography Law of the Peoples Republic of China.

Wang made crystal clear points and spoke in such a manner that was persuasive and easy to understand. She mentions the need for the technology for security measures is a must; thus, focussing on cryptography, the development, and application of password standards and hash functions.

Also, she specifies the need for the importance of security in networks and also enlightened the crowd regarding the aspects of blockchain technology.

In conclusion, the people who witnessed the lecture said that they could have a deeper understanding of the technologies of cryptography and blockchain. They had a clear vision of the need for the advancement of these technologies for the future.

Follow this link:
Speech on Blockchain and Cryptography by Yang Zhenning at Henan Province - The Coin Republic

ASC20 set up Quantum Computing tasks for the first time. Teams are going to use the QuEST (Quantum Exact Simulation Toolkit) running on supercomputers to simulate 30 qubits in two cases: quantum random circuits (random.c), and quantum fast Fourier transform circuits (GHZ_QFT.c). Quantum computing is a disruptive technology, considered to be the next generation high performance computing. However the R&D of quantum computers is lagging behind due to the unique properties of quantum. It adds extra difficulties for scientists to use real quantum computers to solve some of the most pressing problems such as particle physics modeling, cryptography, genetic engineering, and quantum machine learning. From this perspective, the quantum computing task presented in the ASC20 challenge, hopefully, will inspire new algorithms and architectures in this field.

The other task revealed is Language Exam Challenge. Teams will take on the challenge to train AI models on an English Cloze Test dataset, vying to achieve the highest test scores. The dataset covers multiple levels of English language tests in China, including the college entrance examination, College English Test Band 4 and Band 6, and others. Teaching the machines to understand human language is one of the most elusive and long-standing challenges in the field of AI. The ASC20 AI task signifies such a challenge, by using human-oriented problems to evaluate the performance of neural networks.

Wang Endong, ASC Challenge initiator, member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Chief Scientist at Inspur Group, said that through these tasks, students from all over the world get to access and learn the most cutting-edge computing technologies. ASC strives to foster supercomputing & AI talents of global vision, inspiring technical innovation.

Dr. Lu Chun, Vice President of SUSTech host of the ASC20 Finals, commented that supercomputers are important infrastructure for scientific innovation and economic development. SUSTech makes focused efforts on developing supercomputing and hosting ASC20, hoping to drive the training of supercomputing talent, international exchange and cooperation, as well as inter discipline development at SUSTech.

Furthermore, during January 15-16, 2020, the ASC20 organizing committee held a competition training camp in Beijing to help student teams prepare for the ongoing competition. HPC and AI experts from the State Key Laboratory of High-end Server and Storage Technology, Inspur, Intel, NVIDIA, Mellanox, Peng Cheng Laboratory and the Institute of Acoustics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences gathered to provide on-site coaching and guidance. Previous ASC winning teams also shared their successful experiences.

Read more from the original source:
ASC20 Finals to be Held in Shenzhen, Tasks Include Quantum Computing Simulation and AI Language Exam January 21, 2020 - Quantaneo, the Quantum...

2019 saw continued growth and change in data protection and cyber-security across the Asia-Pacific. Following the implementation of the GDPR in May, 2018, many jurisdictions moved to review and strengthen existing data privacy and cyber-security laws. In addition, 2019 saw regulators publishing findings in respect of some of the largest data incidents of 2018. We have set out below the key highlights of the year and what to look out for in 2020.

Singapores Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) imposed the highest fines to date in respect of a cyber-attack on SingHealths patient database system affecting 1.5 million patients. SingHealth was fined S$250,000 as the data controller, and its contractor was fined S$750,000 for failing to take adequate security measures to protect personal data in its possession.

Japan

The European Commission adopted its adequacy decision in respect of Japan, finding that Japan provides a comparable level of protection of personal data to that in the European Union. This decision enables personal data to flow freely between the two jurisdictions without the need for additional safeguards.

Vietnam

Vietnams Law on Cybersecurity came into effect giving authorities greater power to investigate users of online content and censor content published online. Data localisation requirements are also imposed on foreign service providers.

Taiwan

Taiwans Information and Communication Security Management Act came into effect introducing the regulation of information and communication security management and cyber-security.

Chinas Draft of the Information Security Technology Personal Information Security Specification was issued for public comment. The draft Specification updates the earlier Specification which came into effect on 1 May, 2018 and proposes further requirements in respect of personal data protection including the right to be forgotten and the right to portability. As at the date of this article, the draft Specification has been further revised but not yet been finalised.

China

As at the date of this article, both draft Measures are yet to be finalised and there is no definitive timeline by which the final version of theMeasureswill be issued and implemented.

Singapore

Singapores PDPC released a consultation paper to seek feedback on proposed amendments to the Singapores Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) including introducing data portability and data innovation provisions. The proposed data portability provisions will give individuals more control over their personal data while the data innovation provisions make clear that organisations will be able to use personal data for appropriate business purposes without consent.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankas Ministry of Digital Infrastructure and Information Technologypublished the Cyber Security Bill, 2019. This Bill looks to protect vital information, essential services and critical infrastructure from cyber-attacks and proposes establishing a Cyber Security Agency, Computer Emergency Readiness Team and a National Cyber Security Operations Centre. Public consultations in respect of the Bill are still ongoing.

Hong Kongs Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data served an enforcement notice in respect of a data incident resulting in unauthorised access to the personal data of approximately 9.4 million individuals.

China

Chinas Draft Measures on Security Assessment of Cross-Border Transfer of Personal Information were issued for public comment. The draft Measures lay down stricter requirements in relation to cross-border transfers of personal data with the intention to better safeguard internet users rights, public interests and national security. As at the date of this article, the draft Measures have not yet been finalised.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankas Ministry of Digital Infrastructure and Information Technologypublished the Data Protection Bill, 2019, which, if enacted, will be Sri Lankas first specific data privacy regime. The aim of this Bill is to protect personal data, enhance consumer confidence and ensure the growth of Sri Lankas digital democracy and innovation. Public consultations in respect of the Bill are still ongoing.

Chinas revised Draft Cryptography Law was introduced for public comment. The draft Law lays down a number of general requirements in relation to cryptography classification, usage, promotion, and protection. The draft Law also introduces specific requirements for certain Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) operators to use cryptography products or services. The final Law was promulgated on 26 October 2019 and took effect on 1 January 2020.

New Zealands Bill amending the Privacy Act had its second reading in parliament. The Bill proposes stronger powers for the Privacy Commissioner, mandatory breach notifications and increased fines. The Bill is likely to come into force in 2020.

Singapores PDPC released a new Guide to Notification under the PDPA which contains information and examples on good practices which organisations may adopt when notifying individuals about personal data protection policies and practices. The Guide is a predecessor to impending amendments to Singapores PDPA to introduce a mandatory data breach notification regime in Singapore.

Singapores PDPC released a new chapter on cloud services to the Advisory Guidelines to provide clarity on the responsibilities of organisations using cloud services to process personal data in the cloud, as well as the responsibilities of cloud service providers when processing personal data on behalf and for the purposes of organisations.

Japans data protection authority, the Personal Information Protection Commission, published an outline of proposed amendments to the Act on the Protection of Personal Information. The proposed amendments include extending the rights of individuals in respect of personal data that has been provided to third parties, mandatory breach reporting, and strengthening regulations relating to cross-border transfers. The draft bill is expected to be published in early 2020.

Indias revised Draft Personal Data Protection Act, 2019 was published. The Draft is the subject of much discussion as, while it reflects many themes and safeguards present in the GDPR including the right to data portability and the right to be forgotten, it also permits the government to have an unfettered access to protected personal data in certain circumstances, including for national security purposes.

Reflecting the developments in 2019, the type and level of activity show that the Asia-Pacific region is not only dynamic in terms of changes to data protection laws but it also demonstrates the different stages the various jurisdictions are at in terms of their data privacy and cyber-security regimes. Some, like Sri Lanka, are at the beginning of the journey while other regimes, like Hong Kong, have been in place since before the widespread use of the internet. However, despite these differences, the common denominators for countries in this region are that they are implementing and strengthening data privacy and cyber-security regimes and aligning them with international norms.

2020 is already shaping up to be an important year in terms of developments, with Hong Kong leading the way. Earlier this week, Hong Kongs Panel on Constitutional Affairs released a discussion paper seeking views on proposed changes to Hong Kongs long standing data protection law, the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO). When the PDPO was first implemented in 1995, no one could have imagined the data driven society and social media ecosystem we live in today nor the challenges that this would bring. The changes to the PDPO proposed in the discussion paper look to address some of these issues as well as introducing mandatory breach notifications, revenue based fines and bringing Hong Kongs regime more in line with international trends. For more information on the discussion paper, please read our recent article https://www.dataprotectionreport.com/2020/01/consultation-paper-published-on-hong-kongs-data-protection-law/.

In addition to the developments in Hong Kong, we are looking forward to watching how data protection law evolves throughout 2020 as countries in the Asia-Pacific region continue to review, develop and strengthen their data privacy and cyber-security regimes, and keeping you updated along the way.

Read the rest here:
Reflecting on APAC Data Protection and Cyber-security Highlights for 2019 (and what lies ahead!) - Data Protection Report

In a post on the ConsenSys site published on last week, one of the co-founders of ConsenSys, also a managing partner at DARMA Capital, Andrew Keys, shared his predictions about numerous issues that are important to the world today. Ethereum next generation is on its way.

According to Andrew Keys, with the current state of development, Ethereums Serenity will launch by the end of this year, 2020 will see Ethereum move stridently beyond Phase 0 of Ethereum 2.0, onto Phase 1 and the launch of shard chains, according to Keys.

The recent Istanbul hard fork which introduced several improvements and adjustments was the last stage in Ethereum 1.0.

There are some of the core Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) that went into the upgrade, were closely related to Zcash (ZEC). EIP-152 improved interoperability with the actual Zcash blockchain, and EIP-1108 made optimizations for cryptography routines leveraged by projects such as Aztec and Zether.

The same powering Zcash shielded transactions, SNARK zero-knowledge technology is used in Aztec Protocol to introduce confidential transactions within the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain.

On a basic level, SNARKs Zk Sync technology would allow offloading of the majority of transactional computations off-chain by using a zero-knowledge proof to guarantee their correct execution. Matter Labs is attempting to leverage SNARKs. Meanwhile, Plasma is focusing on creating sidechains for specific use cases.

CEO of ConsenSys Joseph Lubin explained in a 2019 interview with Cointelegraph:

Plasma is this class of technologies that enable you to have less decentralized platforms sitting at layer two in the Ethereum ecosystem. They can benefit from the full trust in some cases sometimes they benefit from partial trust but if they're linked in really rigorously, they can benefit from the full trust of the base trust layer, and you can get the best of both worlds.

However, these technologies have not yet appeared, and only Aztec is expected to launch its cryptography engine this month. In a blog post, Matter Labs revealed that it would launch a smart contract framework this month, but not the full scaling technology.

A non-profit research group, Plasma Group, stated that their theoretical work on the technology is complete, but the group failed to indicate specific implementations underway.

When asked by Cointelegraph whether 2020 will feature working sidechain solutions, Afri Schoeden, a former Parity Technologies developer replied:

No. We will see COSMOS maturing, Polkadot launching maybe, and Ethereum 2.0 finally taking shape. But we are still far away from viable solutions that would work in production.

While progress may not be as quick as some would hope, Ethereum is demonstrating that crypto technology can grow to tackle new challenges. 2020 promises to be an existing year for crypto, and Ethereum in particular.

Original post:
ConsenSys Co-Founder says Ethereum 2.0 will be launched in 2020 - BitBoy Crypto

Sources tell KrebsOnSecurity thatMicrosoft Corp. is slated to release a software update on Tuesday to fix an extraordinarily serious security vulnerability in a core cryptographic component present in all versions of Windows. Those sources say Microsoft has quietly shipped a patch for the bug to branches of the U.S. military and to other high-value customers/targets that manage key Internet infrastructure, and that those organizations have been asked to sign agreements preventing them from disclosing details of the flaw prior to Jan. 14, the first Patch Tuesday of 2020.

According to sources, the vulnerability in question resides in a Windows component known as crypt32.dll, a Windows module that Microsoft says handles certificate and cryptographic messaging functions in the CryptoAPI. The Microsoft CryptoAPIprovides services that enable developers to secure Windows-based applications using cryptography, and includes functionality for encrypting and decrypting data using digital certificates.

A critical vulnerability in this Windows component could have wide-ranging security implications for a number of important Windows functions, including authentication on Windows desktops and servers, the protection of sensitive data handled by Microsofts Internet Explorer/Edge browsers, as well as a number of third-party applications and tools.

Equally concerning, a flaw in crypt32.dll might also be abused to spoof the digital signature tied to a specific piece of software. Such a weakness could be exploited by attackers to make malware appear to be a benign program that was produced and signed by a legitimate software company.

This component was introduced into Windows more than 20 years ago back in Windows NT 4.0. Consequently, all versions of Windows are likely affected (including Windows XP, which is no longer being supported with patches from Microsoft).

Microsoft has not yet responded to requests for comment. However, KrebsOnSecurity has heard rumblings from several sources over the past 48 hours that this Patch Tuesday (tomorrow) will include a doozy of an update that will need to be addressed immediately by all organizations running Windows.

Update 7:49 p.m. ET: Microsoft responded, saying that it does not discuss the details of reported vulnerabilities before an update is available. The company also said it does not release production-ready updates ahead of regular Update Tuesday schedule. Through our Security Update Validation Program (SUVP), we release advance versions of our updates for the purpose of validation and interoperability testing in lab environments, Microsoft said in a written statement. Participants in this program are contractually disallowed from applying the fix to any system outside of this purpose and may not apply it to production infrastructure.

Original story:

Will Dormann, a security researcher who authors many of the vulnerability reports for the CERT Coordination Center (CERT-CC), tweeted today that people should perhaps pay very close attention to installing tomorrows Microsoft Patch Tuesday updates in a timely manner. Even more so than others. I dont knowjust call it a hunch? Dormann declined to elaborate on that teaser.

It could be that the timing and topic here (cryptography) is nothing more than a coincidence, but KrebsOnSecurity today received a heads up from the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) stating that NSAs Director of Cybersecurity Anne Neuberger is slated to host a call on Jan. 14 with the news media that will provide advanced notification of a current NSA cybersecurity issue.

The NSAs public affairs folks did not respond to requests for more information on the nature or purpose of the discussion. The invitation from the agency said only that the call reflects NSAs efforts to enhance dialogue with industry partners regarding its work in the cybersecurity domain.

Stay tuned for tomorrows coverage of Patch Tuesday and possibly more information on this particular vulnerability.

Tags: Anne Neuberger, CERT Coordination Center, CERT-CC, crypt32.dll, microsoft, Microsoft CryptoAPI, national security agency, nsa, Patch Tuesday January 2020, Will Dormann, windows

This entry was posted on Monday, January 13th, 2020 at 5:17 pmand is filed under Time to Patch.You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.You can skip to the end and leave a comment. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Link:
Cryptic Rumblings Ahead of First 2020 Patch Tuesday - Krebs on Security

Ritika Sharma Monday, 13 January 2020, 03:49 EST Modified date: Monday, 13 January 2020, 05:00 EST

Quantum computing whenever hit the headlines left not just Bitcoin holders but also every Cryptocurrency holder worried about the uncertainty around their holdings.

It widely believed that the underlying technology of Bitcoin, Blockchain is immutable, meaning it cannot be changed or encrypted without authority over encryption keys.

However, with quantum computers, it is possible to break a blockchains cryptographic codes. Quantum computing can hit the most significant features of Blockchain like unchangeable data, unalterable, and security making it vulnerable.

Google has achieved quantum supremacy as of late 2019, which poses a threat to Bitcoin. It will be a threat to Blockchain, as quantum computing will affect one blockchains key features like inalterability and security, thus making Blockchain as highly vulnerable technology.

Later, china Joined Google in the quantum supremacy Race and announced working on quantum technology. With this, the year 2020 might witness the end of the Crypto Era.

How can Quantum computing break the Blockchain?

The reason behind this fear is quite genuine and straightforward: Bitcoin or any Cryptocurrency depends on cryptography, hash functions, and asymmetric cryptographic number mainly relies on the computing power of computers. The hash function calculates a random number for each block.

The results obtained by this process are effortless to verify, but challenging to find. However, quantum computing has powerful algorithmic capabilities, which is precisely the enemy of this key.

Quantum computing uses subatomic particles, which will be available in more than one state at one time. This feature makes Quantum computing faster than the technology we use today.

Quantum computers can work 100 million times faster than current systems; the computational power is capable of solving any complex mathematical equation in a matter of a few seconds, which current systems take 10,000 years to solve.

With such super computational powers, Quantum computers is capable of calculating the one-way functions that will make one-way encryption obsolete.

The risk over Blockchain is more if it gets in the wrong hands. Hackers with a quantum computer can hack the Cryptocurrency ledger and take complete control of Blockchain.

Will Googles Quantum computing wipe out your Bitcoins?

Googles quantum Supremacy only to traditional computers on classical problems; this isnt actual quantum technology. It was presented bluntly as, quantum supremacy, though it is just a step in the world of quantum computing space.

Even if Googles quantum computer demonstrates, its computing power on specific problems far exceeds the best performing supercomputing. The results of this research by Google do not have much meaning in terms of Bitcoin. This isnt even near to what we can call breaking Bitcoin or Blockchain.

However, Googles quantum supremacy does not pose any threat to Bitcoin; many people in the space still stressed about quantum threat theory. Many analysts claim that the quantum algorithm used by Shor can crack private keys, but again, there Is a long way to go before it could break bitcoins Blockchain.

According to researchers, a quantum computer with 4,000 qubits is undoubtedly able to break the Blockchain. Still, googles the quantum computer has only 53 qubits, which cannot cause any harm to Blockchain, and it is worth mentioning that The higher the qubit, the more difficult it becomes.

Satoshi Nakamotos Proposed solution to beat Quantum Supremacy

Satoshi was a true visionary, the things we are concerned about today, and had already been answered by him. In 2010, satoshi Nakamoto responded to the question about quantum computers by username llama on bitcoin talk.

He replied that If Bitcoin suddenly cracked, the signature will be destroyed; but if it is slowly changed, the system still has time to convert to a stronger function, and Re-sign all your assets. Another cruder answer to this question suggested by the author of Mastering Bitcoin, Andreas Antonopoulos, If the quantum computer comes, we will upgrade.

The Quantum supremacy threat isnt new to the crypto world, and many cryptocurrency projects such as Ethereum, quantum chains, etc., focused on making blockchain quantum resistance, experts in Cryptocurrency space also advocating the development of quantum encryption technology to ensure the security of funds.

Unless a threat of Actual Quantum computing of far more powerful processor explodes, Bitcoin and its developers still have time to secure it. With the continuous development in Quantum technology and the development of more qubit chips, still, there will be the sword of Damocles hanging on the head of the cryptocurrency.

Read the original here:
Googles Quantum Supremacy will mark the End of the Bitcoin in 2020 - The Coin Republic