Bitstamp, a major Bitcoin exchange, has suspended its operations. It blamed a security breach:
The front page of the Bitstamp web site reads:
BITSTAMP SERVICE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED
We have reason to believe that one of Bitstamp’s operational wallets was compromised on January 4th, 2015.
As a security precaution against compromises Bitstamp only maintains a small fraction of customer bitcoins in online systems. Bitstamp maintains more than enough offline reserves to cover the compromised bitcoins.
IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE DO NOT MAKE DEPOSITS TO PREVIOUSLY ISSUED BITCOIN DEPOSIT ADDRESSES. THEY CANNOT BE HONORED!
Customer deposits made prior to January 5th, 2015 9:00 UTC are fully covered by Bitstamp’s reserves. Deposits made to newly issued addresses provided after January 5th, 2015 9:00 UTC can be honored.
Bitstamp takes our security and soundness very seriously. In an excess of caution, we are suspending service as we continue to investigate. We will return to service and amend our security measures as appropriate.
Bitstamp TeamThe company’s CEO sent out the following tweet:
My sincerest apologies to those who are affected by our service being temporary suspended. Details: http://t.co/SzgFNa1NEM
— Nejc Kodrič (@nejc_kodric) January 5, 2015
(ht Smaulgld)
The CEO looks like he's 18 years old. Anyway, I found this interesting:
ReplyDelete"Bitstamp says that it instead regulates itself, following a set of best practices to authenticate customers and deter money laundering.[1] In September 2013, the company began requiring account holders to verify their identity with copies of their passports and official records of their home address."
He claims to be a "Libertarian"...someone should ask him under what Libertarian precept it is a crime to "money launder" and if his Libertarian philosophy is in any way compromised by his desire to track his customers.
His desire to track his customers comes second to his desire to take their $$$ and/or sell their bitcoins for $$$ and then cry HACKED!
ReplyDeleteWhat a GREAT start to 2015