Anicet Mbida 6:53 am, October 25, 2021
Every day, Anicet Mbida makes us discover an innovation that could well change the way we consume.
This Monday, he is interested in a new weapon against computer hacking.
We found a way to track the people behind cryptocurrency payments.
Today's innovation will not appeal to hackers. We have finally found a way to track the people behind cryptocurrency payments (bitcoin, ethereum and others).
It changes everything.
Because by the very nature of cryptocurrency technology (the famous blockchain), accounts are completely anonymous.
There is no link between a Bitcoin account number and the identity of its owner.
Unlike a bank which has an obligation to know each of its customers.
This is why hackers always demand Bitcoin ransoms.
Cognyte, an Israeli startup, has developed a set of tools that can spot and track illicit transactions, and even trace them back to the account holder.
What do they do if, by nature, technology hides people's identities?
Obviously, they don't give the details.
They want to stay one step ahead of the pirates.
But the principle would be to cross the information with that of the organizations which, at the end of the chain, convert the cryptocurrency into currencies.
As soon as an account appears suspicious, we follow all its transactions.
There is bound to be one that happens in real life, in a real bank, who knows the identity of the client.
And apparently, it works: their Blink software has already made it possible to stop several groups of hackers who blackmailed companies.
Is it a program you buy to protect your business, or is it intended for the police?
It's for the police.
Because at one point or another, a bank will have to be forced to reveal information.
So the very existence of this software could calm Ransomware attacks ("ransomware").
Anicet Mbida saw an incredible statistic: in the first six months of the year, more than 1,000 companies have already been victims of attacks.
That is as much as over the whole of last year.