###### tags: `CDA` # Carolina's Reading Responses ## (Set 1) ## Reading responses ### **Feb 20 Tue - Exam review** **MCQ 1: According to the texts/articles, Bitcoin can be best described as:** a) A platform where criminals sell drugs and participate in illegal activities b)A completely unretraceable way to exchange money with other people in an unorganized fashion c) A network that connects random users in a "ledger" system, which can also be used as a form of digital currency d) a brand new way to spend and invest in cash to people from around the world, tracking every unit of currency on a public profile with personal information **Answer: C)** **Explanations:** A) is wrong, because Bitcoin is not a platform, it's a system. Additionally, it was not built for criminals to commit crimes, it is just sometimes used for its anonymity capabilities by people who don't want their activities monitored. B) is also wrong, because Bitcoin is not completely unretraceable, and cryptocurrency tracing is a very useful tool in the arsenal of cybercrime investigators. D) is wrong, because 1), Bitcoin is not new, and 2), Bitcoin does not track transactions with a public profile that displays personal information. **C) is correct, because it mentions Bitcoin's basic syntax, and refers to terms such as the "ledger" system, an important point made when explaining Bitcoin in its' simplest form.** **MCQ 2: According to Hartley Brody's "How HTTPS Secures Connections: What Every Web Dev Should Know", how does HTTP work to ensure a secure connection on the internet?** A) HTTP uses things like extended validation certificates which promises a weaker layer of trust than other models B) From an off-site third party, a secured ceertificate/encryption protocol called TLS is used to establish a safe connection. C) When the client and server connect, a public key exchange is made multiple times to ensure the newest version of connection through authentication. D) With two parties having no prior knowledge of each other communicate over an open, insecure connection through public key encryption. **Answer: B)** **Explanations:** A) is wrong, because extended validation certificates promises stronger layers of trust. C) is false, because the public key exchange only needs to be made once D) is wrong, because through public key encryption, the two parties can then create a secure connection, while initially connecting over an insecure one **B) is true, because it is the most specific answer and does not make any false claims towards the authentication process. It also mentions TLS, which is an important aspect of HTTPS.** ### Feb 16 Fri - The darknet Today, there are many ways to become richer beyond your wildest dreams, but only Bitcoin allows you AND robin hoods to live in an ideal gangster's paradise. Take the case of Silk Road, when libertarian entrepreneur Ross Ulbricht created an electronic world catering to criminals, utilizing Bitcoin and Tor to provide an anonymous status for users. While Ulbricht condemned the sale of products capable of harm (Kozhipatt), a revenue report showed his corruption and normalization of the drug trade: “Marijuana transactions totalled more than $46 million on Silk Road, while heroin sales were worth about $8.9 million; cocaine amounted to $17.4 million” (Kozhipatt). This was the first instance of Bitcoin being used as a currency, and its acclaim poses dangers to society. Bitcoin’s inherently interactive syntax grants random users near-total anonymity. These random users can be convicted criminals and terrorists, or worse, children and innocents. Syncing up users in Bitcoin’s “ledger” system (NC) offers a tainted form of globalization, ensuring secure user-to-user transactions that may be malicious. Thankfully, surveillance increases apropos of rising popularity. Given that people were drawn to Bitcoin’s anonymity and anti-governmental essence to sanction crimes, law enforcement has since cracked down on cryptocurrency tracing, using it to solve investment frauds like the $400 million FTX hack (Chow). Bitcoin ironically has its users on two sides of a coin: using 1) its potential value as a speculative investment, or 2) as a form of currency to anonymously commit heinous acts online. Ecommerce, while dangerous, doesn't always fall victim to harmful tactics like bitcoin transactions and drug distribution. For example, I had begun selling my clothes over the summer, through the app ‘Vinted’, where every online seller had identity checks, which involved uploading an issued ID, yet this information was never shared with the buyers, granting anonymity. There was no requirement for a public profile, yet sellers are trusted due to Vinted’s authenticity checks for all items sold. Despite the dangerous implications of electronic interactions, platforms like Vinted prove there are ways we can use online transactions for safe and legal exchanges, while maintaining peace in society. ### Feb 13 Tue - Haters Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. ### Jan 26 Fri - Learning Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. ### Jan 19 Fri - How the web works Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. ### Jan 16 Tue - Attention Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.