Moonday Mornings: Intel CPU weakness could compromise cryptocurrency private keys

We spent the entire weekend failing to reach the bottom of our buckets of Halloween candy. Yes, we’re disappointed with ourselves too.

But as it’s Moonday, we’ve put that aside and rounded up the best cryptocurrency news from the last few days just for you!

Here’s some of our top picks.

1. A new security threat called PortSmash exploits a previously overlooked component of Intel’s hyperthreading technology. This threat could compromise the security of sensitive information, including the private keys to your cryptocurrency. It’s thought the threat could also attack other CPU manufacturers too. Are none of us safe?

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2. The Taiwanese government wants to know who is spending cryptocurrency. The country is passing a law to crackdown on anonymous cryptocurrency transactions. Part of the regulations will require exchanges to implement “real-name systems,” which will require users to fully disclose their identity. Long live anonymity!

3. The Turkish Police have arrested a group of 11 criminals thought to be associated to a series of cryptocurrency wallet hacks. Reports claim that victims have lost over $80,000 as a result of the group’s malicious activity.

4. At the end of last month, The Bank of America added another blockchain patent to its collection. Despite publicly criticizing blockchain and cryptocurrency, it now owns over 50 blockchain patents. Now, we just have to wait and see what it’s going to do with them.

5. Last week, it was reported that Israel is home to over 200 blockchain startups. This week it has come to light that Israeli based ICOs managed to raise over $600 million in the first quarter of this year alone.

6. British banking giant HSBC successfully completed an international cross-border trade finance payment between the India-based energy, resources and petrochemicals conglomerate, Reliance Industries, and US-based petrochemical logistics firm, Tricon Energy. Oh, and it was done on the blockchain, of course.

Well there you have it, another weekend of cryptocurrency news. I’m somewhat disappointed it wasn’t scarier, it was Halloween after all.