[ConcernedCitizen]

Things to consider when relying on software-based protections like Blockchain:

1. The powers that be don't like when you do that
   
2. That's it, that's the list.
   

Blockchain is great and it's also very misunderstood by most. It's refined by the community every day and it's a useful tool as well as resource that is used by tons of people for various things like cryptocurrency, forensics & encryption; e.g. Ripple, Ambrosus, Etherisc, Artory, Brave (let's not argue this further - I just don't trust it and if you want to know why, read this) & BAT, etc. Ripple is for securing transactions, and is written on the blockchain. Ambrosus for supply & demand tracking, also blockchain. Etherisc for flight insurance, etc., respectively. Blockchain, the pattern of which growing technologies using it is vast, is a double edged sword. You should research them if you have the time, because they can offer a lot of protections. But here, we're specifically talking about mutability vs. immutability. A mutable object can be changed after it's created, and an immutable object can't.

It has a lot to do with this period of the technological revolution. Blockchain enterprises should be given more credit than they usually are. Currently, public ledgers and decentralised networks have made the jobs of a lot of institutions and systems way easier than before; the number of these systems and institutions continues to increase. Blockchain applications record digital information in the form of blocks. These applications use a decentralised network to verify the digital signature and authenticity of every block of information. Blockchain does away with the chances of any fraudulent transactions or unnecessary spending by choosing multiple networks. The SEC even uses this sort of thing to verify and conduct forensics with a tool called ForensicForever - a blockchain based evidence recording software that validates as well as secures digital evidence, doing so with write-blocking techniques.

As part of the SEC Consult research project, the prototype of the tool ForensicForever has now been developed enabling blockchain-based notarization of data used as input data in forensic analyses. ForensicForever can also be used to log any other files created during the processing of a cyber incident (e.g. reports in PDF format) in the blockchain. If the necessary hash signature is already available, it can be transferred directly.

Moreover, it is possible to generate such a signature in the course of the notarization with the help of the tool. After the successful creation of a notarization, it is possible to generate a certificate in PDF form which summarizes the information. The certificate can be seen as a human-readable representation and can make the verification process more convenient.

But, it is not without its pitfalls, seemingly. For instance, BTC even, is no longer untraceable. And this is just one example of supposed bulletproof technology that is no longer even being considered viable by some of the intelligence community. Its underlying premise was the mutability of data being unalterable and unadulterated since recording. But that's no longer the case. It is still completely agnostic about the sender and receiver, but that doesn't imply hack-proof or human-proof, despite requiring no human interaction to begin with. The issue is forensics, not human error or inherent blockchain failure.



If we're speaking of digital safety, the best thing to consider is that no matter what you do, it will never be impenetrable. All you can do is lessen the impact of apps, services and devices. This is a primary part of your OPSEC and it should always be noted that it will never be perfect. Shoot for the smallest impact of your fingerprint and you'll probably be okay, unless you are being pursued by larger, more advanced persistent threats (APTs). Some things simply require to plug & play, while others may require you to change your behavior entirely. Most understand the implications but don't understand the reasons "why" and that is the downfall of such a cryptic device - so exercise caution when leaving your data on the blockchain.

In 2019 alone, many were hacked. This is a common occurrence and is usually due to human error (Social Engineering) or sites being compromised from within. But this is not just an outlier. It will continue to happen until there is a different, more secure way of handling transactions, not just of currency but also communications and signals transfer. Cryptocurrency is a bandaid on a broken arm. You can secure your data in cold storage, sure, but that's not necessary unless you really have the need (and means) of doing so. Things like USB keys for wallets are fine, but that implies it will never be stolen or destroyed and if it were, there goes your entire crypto collection. So it's not the safest, but it is the most secure because it isn't networked. Until, of course, it is, when plugged into a computer or storage device. These are a few things to consider. Audit (or choose a service that encourages it) every site that you choose to store anything on, without exemption. That's it, that's all it takes. Just consider your safety over the importance of the service. Your data should be private and not at risk by third parties. That's a right. But it isn't intrinsic; you have to work for it. Trust a software hacker and malware technician when he says that it's too easy nowadays, compared to how it was back in the early days, to find ways into your data without you being able to do anything to stop him.