#security

Quantstamp, a blockchain security firm, has introduced the Economic Exploit Analysis tool designed to detect potential flash loan attack vulnerabilities in smart contracts. While it can analyze multiple contracts from various DeFi protocols, some manual adjustments are needed for specific protocols. Flash loan attacks, which have drained about $200 million in the Euler Finance exploit alone, are a growing concern in DeFi.

Security company PeckShield has issued a warning to users about a phishing attack conducted by a scammer who has stolen over $675,000 in the past five days. He exploits USDT token permissions. Users are therefore advised to promptly verify and revoke any suspicious accesses to safeguard their assets.

A significant security vulnerability has been identified in the WinRAR utility, potentially allowing threat actors to execute remote code on Windows systems. Dubbed CVE-2023-40477, this flaw arises from improper validation during recovery volume processing. To take advantage of this, users would need to be tricked into visiting a malicious webpage or opening a compromised archive file. The flaw, discovered by a researcher named goodbyeselene, was reported on June 8, 2023, and addressed in WinRAR 6.23 on August 2, 2023. Users are urged to update to the latest version for protection.

Crypto miners in the U.S. have initiated the Digital Energy Council to lobby for miner-friendly policies amidst ongoing crypto regulation debates. The council aims to advocate for sustainable energy development, grid resilience, U.S. competitiveness, and national security. This move comes as President Joe Biden's administration proposes a 30% excise tax on mining operations, citing societal harms. Additionally, Democratic lawmakers criticize miners for environmental concerns.

According to a study by Salesforce, approximately 74% of customers are concerned about the unethical use of new technologies. That said, only 57% trust companies' statements on this matter. Openness to AI is also problematic and has steadily declined over eight months, from 65% to 51%. Customers' primary concerns revolve around security, control, and ethics: A clear understanding of where artificial intelligence is being applied (as indicated by 89% of respondents). Verification of AI-generated outcomes (80%). Bias in the AI-produced results (63%). Furthermore, 68% of the respondents believe that artificial intelligence amplifies the significance of trust in companies and heightens the responsibility brands owe to their customers.

Atomic Wallet has landed in legal hot waters. This development comes after a hacking event that wiped out more than $100 million. The claimants assert that the developers neither informed the users about the security vulnerability nor contacted law enforcement after the breach. Many prosperous investors, some having affiliations with Russia, are included in the court case.

After detecting phishing attempts, Terra (LUNA) has temporarily frozen its primary domain, Terra․money. The company's directive? Avoid sites with this domain until they say otherwise. While the team has ramped up protection for the Station Wallet, a word of caution: avoid the desktop and mobile apps for a bit. But if you're a fan of the Station Chrome extension, the latest version is good to go.

The Exactly Protocol has suffered a hacking attack. Running on the Optimism blockchain, this lending DeFi platform was targeted by malefactors who stole over 4300 ETH, totaling approximately $7.3 million. Both BlockSec and Beosin security agencies have corroborated the theft. The hackers reportedly found and exploited a weak point in the platform's smart contracts, although the finer details are still under wraps. UPD: The team at Exactly Protocol would declare a $700,000 reward for any leads on the hacker, should they not receive a response from the malefactor by the end of August 22nd. "You can return the funds, minus a 10% fee to you, without worries about us coming after you," the Exactly team conveyed in their message.

House Democrats have initiated a working group dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) with the aim to craft legislation surrounding this tech. The group, chaired by Representative Derek Kilmer, will explore leveraging AI for growth while ensuring job security for those impacted by AI advancements. A primary concern is the rise of AI-generated misinformation, especially deepfakes.

China's provisional AI guidelines, termed "Generative AI Measures," take effect today. Among the 24 measures, AI service platforms must register and undergo security reviews before public launch. AI-generated content will need labels, and data must come from legitimate sources respecting intellectual property and user privacy. Service providers are accountable for content on their platforms.