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#RSAC: Election Security Beyond the Ballot Box – Infosecurity Magazine

There has been a lot written in recent years about election security and ensuring the integrity of voting systems. While voting machines are important, so too are non-voting election technologies, which was the topic of a session at the RSA Conferencein San Francisco.

Aaron Wilson, Senior Director of Election Security at the Center for Internet Security (CIS), explained that non-voting election systems include things that support elections. Those systems include electronic poll books, election night reporting systems, voter registration systems, and electronic ballot delivery.

"There is a lot to that attack surface, but there are not a lot of standards and regulations," Wilson said.

The Center for Internet Security has developed a guide to help secure those non-voting election systemsthat has 160 best practices to help reduce risk and improve confidence. The overall goal, according to Wilson, isn't necessarily that every election official will do all the steps, but rather they will have a guide that provides questions to ask vendors and IT staff.

Core Recommendations

There are three key areas that Wilson suggested election officials should look at. The first is dealing with Denial of Service (DoS) risks.

"Denial of Service is concerning because you know exactly when to wage the attack against an election system," he said. "If you can take a service down in a moment of critical need it can have significant impact."

Ransomware is also a risk that election officials need to defend against. Wilson said that both DoS and ransomware attacks areessentially about availability and denying access to assets.

The third key area is something Wilson referred to asunauthorized data modification. That's a critical area for non-voting election system integrity, as an unauthorized change can throw an election into doubt.

Among the key recommendations that Wilson provided to reduce the risk of unauthorized data modification are the following:

Verifying Election Technology

Going a step beyond best practices, there is also an ongoing need to verify that systems are in fact operating as intended on a continuous basis. That's where the RABET-V: Rapid Architecture-Based Election Technology Verification framework comes into play.

"RABET-V is an election technology verification process that supports rapid product changes by design," Wilson said.

The RABET-V effort was launched in February 2020 as a pilot program and is available as an open source effort on github.

"It provides a consistent basis from which approval authorities can draw information, resulting in quicker decisions and reduced, amortized overall cost," Wilson concluded.

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MacBook, iPad among billions of devices hit by Kr00k Wi-Fi security flaw – Laptop Mag

Security researchers at ESET -- a Slovakia-based internet security company -- discovered a huge security flaw that leaves billions of Wi-Fi-connected devices susceptible to data exploitation.

The cybersecurity threat, dubbed Kr00k, can allow routers to decode your encrypted Wi-Fi traffic and spy on your personal information. Devices with Broadcom and Cypress WiFi chipsets, commonly found in smartphones, laptops and tablets, are primarily vulnerable to Kr00K.

Personally tested by ESET, the internet security confirmed that the following devices are vulnerable to Kr00k:

ESET also noted that some access points to Asus and Huawei were vulnerable to cyber security attacks, too. It's important to point out that this list is not exhaustive.

Thankfully, though, users who are vulnerable to Kr00k won't be exposed to this vulnerability for long -- companies have disseminated fixes for this major security flaw.

"Patches for devices by major manufacturers have been released by now," ESET wrote. To protect yourself, as a user, make sure you have applied the latest available updates to your Wi-Fi-capable devices, including phones, tablets, laptops, IoT devices, and Wi-Fi access points and routers."

ESET publicly presented their research findings for the first time at the 2020 RCA Conference.

Total Defense Anti-Virus For...

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The Most Reliable, Free and Ad-free VPN Application You Can Use: 1.1.1.1 – Somag News

Cloudflare, one of the most experienced companies in the internet world, made the 1.1.1.1 DNS protocol a mobile application. We explain how to use 1.1.1.1, which is free, ad-free and offers a faster connection than other applications.

DNS and VPN have come to the rescue of internet users for years, who want to connect to the internet faster, freer and more secure. With the mobilization of the internet, more devices are connected, more information is available on the internet networks. So it is very natural that we have security concerns.

Apart from that, it is not always possible to overcome internet access problems in our country or region. The IP address of the non-profit Asia Pacific Network Information Center (APNIC) (1.1.1.1) comes into play at such times. Agreeing with Cloudflare, a leader in areas such as internet security and server services, APNIC has created one of the most reliable and useful VPN applications on the market.

So how is the 1.1.1.1 application used?Download the app and open it,Read and accept the terms and conditions,When you come to the 1.1.1.1 screen, you will see a big button,Activate this bot,The application will want to install a VPN profile on your phone,Give approval,You will see the key symbol in the notification bar,This symbol means that you are connected to the VPN network.Now you can surf the internet with unlimited VPN quota without seeing ads.

For those who have speed problems, there are 2 options in the application:

1.1.1.1: Standard VPN connection

1.1.1.1 with WARP: Second option for those with speed and privacy issuesWhen you activate the VPN connection for the first time in the application, you actually meet all the conditions to access the sites that are blocked from access. Sometimes, however, some users experience low speed connectivity due to their connection speed and region. If this is the case, you may notice your Enable 1.1.1.1 with WARP feature free, which is a more private internet article below.

You can try to increase your connection speed with the second option of the application with the Activate button next to the warning. WARP, which Cloudflare offers as an additional feature, has been added as an extra feature that is said to improve the connection speed. We tried the second option for you, although it didnt always work, we found it to be much faster than other VPN apps and the standard 1.1.1.1 connection.

So what is WARP +?Standard services of the application are quite sufficient. However, Cloudflare also offers WARP +, which is even safer and faster, to users who wish. Users who wish can invite their friends to earn 1 GB WARP + connection and try this feature of the application. However, as we said, the first 2 options, which are already free, are enough for VPN seekers.

Why is the most reliable application 1.1.1.1, who is behind the application?Cloudflare, a US-based company, offers services related to internet security and domain servers that protect websites against DDoS attacks. Of course, since it is a private company, you can ask why not to use the information obtained over the VPN network.

This is where the agreement that Cloudflare made and which allows us to use 1.1.1.1 application is entering. The company is able to offer this application through an agreement with the non-profit organization Asia Pacific Network Information Center (APNIC). APNIC is just one of the five largest Network Information Centers in the world.

Where does the 1.1.1.1 application store our data?Cloudflare has been a leader in trust in this area for many years, as its core service is a network security company. The company promises to store its data on its own servers for 1.1.1.1 implementation. If you wish, you can reach the Privacy Policy page here. On the relevant page, you can clearly see what data your application has collected. Also on the map above, there are all servers owned by Cloudflare.

As a result, nothing in the internet environment is 100% reliable. However, 1.1.1.1 is one of the most stable and secure options in the market instead of insecure, data breach, advertised and paid applications in application markets. In addition, 1.1.1.1 may share your information with official authorities upon official requests from government agencies.

How to use CloudFlare 1.1.1.1 DNS on Mac and Windows computersWindows 1.1.1.1 settings:Click the start menu,Click on Control Panel,Click Network and Internet,Click Change Adapter Settings,Right click on the Wi-Fi network (or wired network) you are connecting to,Then click on the Properties tab.Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (or Version 6 if desired),Click Properties,Click Use DNS Server Addresses below,Replace these addresses with 1.1.1.1 DNS addresses:

For IPv4: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1For IPv6: 2606: 4700: 4700: 1111 or 2606: 4700: 4700: 1001Click OK and then Close,Restart your browser.MacOS 1.1.1.1 settings:Open System Preferences,Search DNS Servers and select them from the drop down menu,To add a DNS Server, click the + button and enter 1.1.1.1,Click the + symbol again and enter 1.0.0.1,Click OK and then click Apply.

1.1.1.1 How to make DNS modem settings?Connect to your preferred wireless network,Enter the IP address of your router in your browser,If prompted, enter your username and password,Find DNS server settings on the configuration page of your router,Type the DNS server entry,Change the required places as follows,For IPv4: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1For IPv6: 2606: 4700: 4700 :: 1111 and 2606: 4700: 4700 :: 1001Save your settingsRestart your browser.

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How coronavirus infected the internet – Livemint

The next time you receive an email that claims to have important" or urgent" information on the Wuhan novel coronavirus, exercise some caution. With almost 80,000 cases across the globe, the disease, which originated in mainland China, continues to spread. Cyber criminals, however, have been using the global coverage of the epidemic for destroying, blocking, modifying or copying data" and interfering with computer networks.

Cyber-security firms are reporting how email attachments claiming to have information on the virus end up infecting a users system with malware. According to cyber- threat research company Check Point Researchs Global Threat Index for January, the most recent coronavirus-themed campaign targeted users in Japan. A Trojan known as Emotet was circulated through malicious email attachments. The email would appear to be from a Japanese disability welfare service provider, claiming to have information on how the infection was spreading in Japanese cities. Once the document was opened, Emotet would get downloaded.

Originally a banking Trojan used to steal financial data, Emotet is now being used to spread other malware.

Pune-based security solutions provider Quick Heal reported that hackers were using Emotet in emails that had attachment headings primarily in Japanese and other Asian languages. According to a news release from Quick Heal, attackers used current dates for the emails to make them look very urgent". Fake email IDs of local health organizations were also used to alarm users about an outbreak in a particular region.

An additional report from Moscow-based cyber-security and antivirus provider Kaspersky explains that it detected malicious files disguised" under the guise of .pdf, .mp4 and .docx files claiming to contain more information about the coronavirus. The names of the files indicated that they contained video instructions on how to protect oneself from the virus, further updates on the threat and virus detection procedures. The files, however, were ridden with Trojans.

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Enter the Tangle, a blockchain designed specially for the Internet of Things – ZDNet

Blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) may be interesting ways to track and assure the validity of information as it's passed between entities or systems, and it has been weighed as a possible data exchange medium for devices and systems within the Internet of Things. But current blockchains and DLTs may have too much overhead for supporting millions of small-footprint devices.

That's the reasoning for the launch of a new approach, called the "Tangle," intended to weave devices, sensors and systems into a distributed, yet accountable network. To build and evangelize this new DLT for the IoT, the Eclipse Foundation and IOTA Foundationrecently jointly launched the Tangle EE Working Group, based on the IOTA distributed ledger protocol.

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Christoph Strnadl, VP of innovation & architecture at Software AG and IOTA proponent, about this potential new messaging platform for the IoT. The key differentiator between DLTs such as blockchain and IOTA Tangle "is that it is optimized for the machine-to-machine economy," he says. The Tangle is designed to enable the collection of information on "billions of endpoints, millions of devices, as opposed to blockchain, which fails to scale when we have a few thousand nodes." While other DLTs are intended to simply support cryptocurrency and financial exchanges, the Tangle is designed to manage information on the identity of devices, and having the ability to send and execute messages. Because this is what links the devices to the IoT platform and to the providers and supply chain networks."

IOTA Tangle is intended to run across "a continuum of devices, a continuum of edge computing facilities," Strnadl says. "Then everything is able to participate -- even if it's just a very small sensor. You can hook the sensors up to a node, and you can outsource information." The Tangle also supports the ability to send and execute on messages, Strnadl says. This enables machines such as robots to "deliver an order or reliably transmit a status report which can be used for billing. This is what links the devices to the IoT platform and to the providers, and supply chain networks." Another important function supported within the Tangle is smart contracts, he adds.

IOTA Tangle is designed to offer an alternative approach to blockchain for IoT payments and data use cases given its fee-less nature and the ability for secure data transfer in machine-to-machine communication. The network is built on a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) as a way to address what are seen as typical blockchain shortfalls related to scalability, environmental sustainability, cost, and security. "Unlike blockchain, which has an inherent transaction rate limit, the Tangle allows different branches of the DAG to spread and merge, resulting in a much faster overall throughput," according to IOTA. "The result is an open-source framework that is scalable, fee-free, and permissionless, thus eliminating previous barriers to use and making its application much easier for organizations of all kinds."

Typical blockchains "all feature a data structure which is a naming device that lists lead blocks, and every block contains a few thousand transactions," Strnadl explains. "Someone has to approve all the thousands of transactions in a block, digital mining, and then you mine the next block and approve a thousand more translocation. It is a very costly operation in terms of energy and computing resources."

Strnadl expects an eventual consolidation in DLT offerings, with IOTA Tangle covering small transaction and IoT information requirements. At this point, however, there is no integration likely between Tangle and other DLTs likely, he adds. "It's very hard to mix from one model to another.."

Founding members of the Tangle EE group include: Dell Computers , STMicroelectronics, Objects Management Group , accessec, BiiLabs, Calypso Network Association, Geometric Energy Corporation, RWTH Aachen University, Software AG , Industrial Internet Consortium, AKITA and Xain. Initial target industries for Tangle EE's commercialization of IoT payments infrastructure include mobility and automotive, global trade and supply chain, ehealth, smart energy, smart cities, and industrial IoT .

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Posture management: Cloud security tools rise in wake of breaches – CIO

High-profile breaches have sparked interest in an emerging class of security software. The technology, named cloud security posture management (CSPM), scours cloud environments and alerts staff to configuration issues and compliance risks, most of which stem from human error.

Exhibit A of this type of gaffe occurred at Capital One in 2019, when a former Amazon Web Services (AWS) employee exploited a misconfigured Web Application Firewall (WAF) the financial service provider was using as part of its operations hosted in AWS, exfiltrated data and stored it on GitHub. In 2018, both a Walmart partner and GoDaddy were exposed when they left AWS storage instances accessible via the internet.

Most CIOs will tell you that their data is more secure with cloud vendors, but human error leaves even the stoutest compute networks susceptible to attacks, thanks in part to the various permissions and access points that leave enterprises exposed, says Gartner analyst Neil MacDonald. In fact, 99 percent of cloud security failures will be the customers fault through 2025, according to Gartner.

"The issue they are most worried about is some misconfiguration or mistake they make that leaves them exposed," MacDonald says.

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5 Windows 10 features that beat what you had on Windows 7 – CNET

Microsoft's Surface Laptop 3 runs Windows 10.

Finally made the upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10? Hopefully the answer is yes, since Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7 ($4.79 at Walmart) in January, which means devices running that OS no longer get important updates or security patches. But never fear: Learning how to navigate Windows 10 ($79 at Walmart) isn't too difficult, especially if you can pinpoint all of the big differences between the new OS and the older version.

From tighter security to a new browser, Windows 10 has a lot to offer. Here are some of the biggest feature updates in Windows 10, compared to Windows 7.

Now playing: Watch this: Windows 10: Features to try now

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Read more: You can still download Windows 10 for free -- and you should because Windows 7 is dead

Windows 10's advanced security and continuous patches and updates are the top reason to switch to the latest version of the OS. Some of the best security features include:

If you're still holding on to Windows 7, at least consider these security tips to protect your Windows 7 laptop. You can also check out this full comparison of Windows 10 and Windows 7 security features from Microsoft.

Read more: The best antivirus protection of 2020 for Windows 10

Hit the familiar Windows icon at the bottom left of the screen or on your keyboard to find a list of your desktop apps and programs. Similar to the Start menu in Windows 8, the Windows 10 Start menu includes live tiles -- large icons to the right of the Start menu including Mail, Calendar and Weather. You can customize these tiles with any app you like: Just open the Start menu, click All apps and find the app you want to make into a tile. Right-click it, and click Pin to Start. To remove a tile, right-click it and click Unpin from Start.

With Windows 10, you can also access a lesser-known second Start menu that helps you access important features like the Command Prompt, the Control Panel and the Task Manager much easier, either by pressing the Windows key + X or by right-clicking the Windows icon/Start button.

Microsoft's digital assistant Cortana is available on Windows 10 PCs. Cortana acts as a personal assistant -- similar to Apple's Siri -- and operates via voice command to help with tasks like scheduling and reading or summarizing your email.

Go to Start > Settings > Cortana to turn Cortana on and off, and control when and how you use the assistant. For example, toggle yes if you want Cortana to help when you say, "Hey Cortana," and yes if you want speech and typing personalization turned on, which helps the assistant get to know your patterns.

Read more: Have a new PC or laptop? Here's how to set it up the best way

The Microsoft Edge browser now runs on Chromium.

Say goodbye to Internet Explorer: With Windows 10, Microsoft introduced the Edge browser to replace the old mainstay. In January, Microsoft rolled out a new version of Edge, built on the same engine that drives Google's Chrome browser -- making it more compatible with modern websites, for a better browsing experience. You can download the new Edge browser on Windows 10 (and, technically, since it's built on Chromium, on Windows 7 or 8 too) by going to the Microsoft Edge webpage, selecting Windows, and clicking Download.

Unlike Windows 7, Microsoft continually updates Windows 10 to patch security issues and make the machines run better. This is part of Microsoft's move to make Windows operate more as a service, with continuous updates instead of a brand-new version.

To check for updates, go to Start > Settings > Update & Security, and under Windows Update, click Check for updates.

Major feature updates come twice a year, with the most recent being the November 2019 Update. This update added some new productivity features, like the ability to create events directly from the Calendar flyout on the Taskbar, without having to open the Calendar app.

Now playing: Watch this: Windows 10: Try these hidden features right now

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Originally published earlier this month. Updated periodically with new information.

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Bitcoin Price Falls $1,400 in One Week Is the Bear Market Back? – Cointelegraph

This week the equity markets experienced their worst week in 12 years and as this meltdown took place the crypto market also took a hit.

Bitcoin (BTC) and the cryptocurrency market saw a significant selloff this week and this outcome is relatively reasonable given that people sell their assets out of fear of potential economic instability. Other safe-haven assets like gold and silver also saw a massive selloff on Friday.

Are the crypto markets going to find support in the coming weeks, or will we see a continued downtrend in momentum?

Crypto market daily performance. Source: Coin360

The price of Bitcoin found resistance at the $10,400 level, after which a test of the $9,400 support was heavily needed. The $9,400 level was unable to provide sustainable support and as the price fell through it this caused a significant selloff throughout the crypto market.

BTC USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

The sell-off led to the next support area at $8,200-8,400 and many horizontal levels are lining up here, providing potential temporary support and space for a relief rally.

However, for the short term, many believe that the upwards momentum is out of the markets as the price of Bitcoin is making a lower low (a key indicator for downwards momentum) on the daily timeframe.

Does this mean that the entire crypto market will reverse course and enter a bearish trend? Not at all. The price of Bitcoin is still 27% higher as on the 1st of January, which makes Bitcoin one of the best-performing assets of the year.

BTC USD 1-week chart. Source: TradingView

The weekly chart is currently resting on an exciting MA (Moving Average), namely the 21-week MA. The previous bull cycle held this level as support towards the bull peak in December 2017, which makes this an interesting indicator for bulls to hold on to.

If the price could find support at this level, it could mean a continuation of bullish momentum in the coming period.

BTC USD 1-week chart. Source: TradingView

The weekly chart also clearly shows the massive selloff of the past week. However, its currently resting on potential support. Holding the green zone around $8,400 would line up with the 21-WMA and possibly grant a relief rally.

For sustained upwards momentum, its crucial that a breakthrough of the past high at $10,400 takes place but such a move could take some time. The market must find support before these levels can be targeted.

If Bitcoin price cant find support at $8,400, the next level to target is at $7,500-$7,700.

Total market capitalization cryptocurrency chart. Source: TradingView

The total market capitalization for cryptocurrencies was unable to break above $300 billion and also couldnt find support at $250 billion so further downwards momentum was expected.

Currently, an exciting level is approaching as the 21-WMA is also showing up on this chart. Through the whole bull cycle of 2016-2017, the 21-WMA granted support on the total market capitalization as a whole. Providing support in this area would give bulls arguments for upwards momentum.

Aside from the 21-WMA, a crucial horizontal level can be seen here. During 2018 and 2019, the market capitalization found support at the $225 billion level several times. Showing support here would grant potential upward continuation, as the total market capitalization had been making higher lows since the bottom in December 2018.

Total altcoin cryptocurrency market capitalization chart. Source: TradingView

The altcoin market capitalization shows a similar outlook as the rest of the market. There was a massive rejection at the horizontal level at $115 billion, through which the altcoins are searching for support also.

The next significant level is found around $73-$75 billion, which is similar to the $225 billion of total market capitalization. Since the bottom in December 2018, altcoins have been consistently made higher lows, warranting a new upwards trend to occur. Finding support around the $73 billion levels would warrant another higher low and potential continuation upwards.

If the scenario turned bullish, a relief rally towards $9,200-9,400 would be the first step. To do this, Bitcoin price needs to find support at $8,250-$8,400 in order to sustain some upwards momentum to retest previous support levels for resistance.

BTC USD 12-hour bullish scenario chart. Source: TradingView

The next important question investors will ask will be: Can Bitcoin price break through the resistance and continue its upward momentum? If the answer is no, a likely retest of the $8,200-$8,400 area is next to occur.

However, breaking the resistance around $9,200-$9,400 and making it support would open the door for a move to the next levels near the $10,400 highs of two weeks ago.

And finally, finding support around this area would confirm the 21-WMA to be supported again, which is a massive indicator for bull/bear momentum.

BTC USD 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView

Theres no clear guideline for a bearish scenario at this point, but the chart is showing several perspectives. What traders should look for are potential bearish retests. If the price of Bitcoin rallies upwards without any volume and rejects at $8,950 or even $9,175, a bearish retest is confirmed, and the price should trend further down.

If such a bearish retest occurs, the price will likely retest the support around $8,200-$8,400 one more time.

However, the more support gets tested, the weaker it becomes. Heavy retests of this support would typically induce further continuation downwards to $7,500-$7,700 as the next primary support after this zone.

The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cointelegraph. Every investment and trading move involves risk. You should conduct your own research when making a decision.

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Bitcoin to See a Golden Short Opportunity if it Taps This Level – newsBTC

Bitcoins intense selloff has slowed over the past 24-hours, with bulls garnering some notable buying pressure within the lower-$8,000 region, subsequently leading BTC to enter a short-term bout of consolidation around $8,600.

Although bulls have shown some signs of strength during this latest leg down, it is important to keep in mind that its price action over the past week has been bear-favoring, and its deep retrace from its yearly highs seems to suggest its bullish market structure may have been invalidated.

Now, top analysts are noting that an incredibly strong resistance level that exists just a hair above BTCs current price region may be enough to spark a major selloff.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading down nominally at its current price of $8,660, which is around where it has been trading at for the past 24-hours.

The cryptocurrencys ongoing selloff first began last Sunday when it ran to highs of $10,000 before facing a swift rejection at this level, with bulls inability to recapture its position above this level being a grave sign for the crypto.

Analysts are now noting that how BTC responds to this ongoing bout of sideways trading should offer insight into where the markets will trend next.

Crypto Micahl, a prominent cryptocurrency analyst on Twitter, explained in a recent tweet that a break below Bitcoins current price level could lead it to drop as low as $7,500.

Bitcoin: At this point, remaining fairly unchanged in the perspectives. Holding here and I assume $9,000-9,200 retest is likely. Losing it and Id be pointing $7,500-7,700, he noted.

Teddy, another popular cryptocurrency analyst, believes that Bitcoins recent price action has firmly invalidated its bullish market structure for the time being, leading him to believe further downside is imminent.

He also notes that a movement towards $9,150 could be a golden short opportunity for traders, with a rejection at this level sparking intense downside.

BTC: Brutal breakout, supports were annihilated clear bear bias of price structure. Currently consolidating in a down channel, historically they break upwards 9150s rejection will be a golden short opportunity. Retest of previous support as resistance?

If Bitcoin fails to garner any upwards momentum, or faces another firm rejection, prior to its weekly close tomorrow, it could mean further downside is inbound.

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Peter Thiel-Backed Startup Says Texas Is the Best Place to Mine Bitcoin – Cointelegraph

Alex Liegl, CEO of Layer1 Technologies, a US-based Bitcoin (BTC) mining company that recently announced its intention to repatriate 30% of Bitcoins hash power by 2022, has described Texas as offering miners the cheapest power in the world, at scale.

Less than two weeks ago, Layer1 commenced mining operations at its facility in western Texas, bringing multiple 2.5-megawatt container rigs online.

Texas is the largest producer of wind power in the United States, outproducing the second, third, and fourth-largest producers combined. If Texas were an independent nation, it would be the worlds fifth-largest generator of wind power worldwide.

Despite the cheap electricity, many miners have avoided the Lone Star state due to its heat with temperatures regularly exceeding 90 degrees for half of each year. To combat the heat, Layer1s mining apparatus comprises 20-by-8 shipping containers filled with miners that are suspended in a non-conductive liquid.

If they were air-cooled, the processors would burn up," Liegl told Forbes.

During October 2019, Layer1 raised $50 million for its venture capital investors, led by Peter Thiel alongside Digital Currency Group and Shasta Ventures.

The cash infusion funded Layer1s acquisition of an electric substation capable of generating 100 megawatts situated on 30 acres in western Texas and rose the companys value to $200 million.

Layer1 also plans to take advantage of skyrocketing summer electricity prices and selling its power to the grid, with Liegl stating: We can stabilize the grid by selling capacity for curtailment at the push of a button.

During January, Whinstone, a subsidiary of Frankfurt-based mining company Northern Bitcoin, announced that it had inked partnerships with Japanese internet provider GMO and financial services company SBI to process transactions at its forthcoming facility in Rockdale, Texas.

Whinstones facility is slated to launch with a capacity of 300 megawatts, with the company to expand to 1 gigawatt before 2021.

When constructed, Whinstones facility will have three times the capacity as Bitmains mining site in Rockdale which is held to currently comprise the largest mining operation in the world.

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