RECENT SFOR's PR's as of 3/11/2018:
March 8, 2018
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for joining us again today Mark at this very exciting time in the growth of StrikeForce. The blockchain tsunami is undeniably now upon us.
We read with great interest in your recent Press Release that StrikeForce has, “…been closely following the extraordinary growth of blockchain, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies for some time now. When we saw that they were becoming mainstream disruptive technologies, we knew that hackers would quickly follow. In recent months, crypto-criminals have successfully hacked companies like Youbit, BitFinex, Nicehash, Coindesk, Enigma and Tether. Attacking blockchain, digital wallets and crypto-exchanges are becoming a daily occurrence and the current landscape of security solutions on the market just wasn’t designed to protect them.”
Please tell us more about your new subsidiary, BlockSafe, and the security solutions it will deliver to protect blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
(Note to readers: see the Blockchain overviews here at Investopedia and Wikipedia)
Mark Kay: That is a great question and of course, what BlockSafe is all about. BlockSafe is a NEW blockchain company with a BSAFE™ token. This seems to be the only security software company that provides security solutions for a blockchain company that prevents hacking a wallet one uses to process their blockchain transaction through the use of our Crypto Defender product that stops keyloggers from stealing your keystrokes and also from the camera, Clipboard and audio copy prevention and anti-ransomware and eventually self-healing. We also will provide our Blockchain Defender™ Agent that acts like a blockchain firewall that authenticates users, enforces corporate policies, acts as a load balance and protects from DDoS attacks. These products will be available in a short time for some features and within a year for some others. A very unique opportunity.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: What are the latest developments regarding your core product line: ProtectID®, GuardedID®, and MobileTrust® ?
Mark Kay: Thanks for asking, and this year really is the year for StrikeForce , even though I did say it last year. Unfortunately, the companies implementing our products in our channel did a lot more testing than planned, but fortunately they are about ready for large implementations to over millions of clients during this year. We are getting ready and we should have some real soon. We will let you know at least a few months after they go live and we can then PR them. Also our retail deals and company is about to sell through Canada through another Home Shopping website that could go internationally, as well as continuing selling through HSN and other stoes and websites in the US.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you again for joining us today Mark. Any other subjects you would like to talk about?
Mark Kay: Martin, I believe this is becoming a great year for us with the starting of our blockchain subsidiary, BlockSafe, and the continuation and finally implementation of our channel partners and our own enterprise clients[/b]. Stay tuned for more great reports and thanks for the opportunity to let everyone know about our great products, as we continue to grow them.
March 4, 2018
Wall Street Journal interviews Blocksafe Technologies advisor and current EVP from Strikeforce Technologies George Waller
Wall Street Journal ARTICLE
Cryptocurrency traders are learning that where they buy and sell digital tokens can be just as risky as choosing a coin or picking a price.
Investors have lost more than $700 million this year in hacks of two major cryptocurrency exchanges. The thefts at Florence, Italy-based BitGrail and Japan’s Coincheck bring total investor hacking losses since 2014 to around $1.4 billion, according to a Wall Street Journal review of recent hacks.
The hacks reflect an oft-overlooked risk of trading in bitcoin and related digital currencies: While scores of online exchanges have sprung up in the past two years as crypto prices surged, they typically bear little resemblance to the well-financed, better-regulated venues that enable investors to buy and sell stocks, bonds and commodities.
2014’15’16’17’180100200300400500600700$800
Given the peer-to-peer nature of cryptocurrencies, investors don’t have to deal directly with exchanges when they buy these assets. But many have done so because exchanges seem safer and more convenient, a judgment some have come to regret.
Jeff Furman, a 22-year old student at Northern Virginia Community College, said he lost about $60,000 worth of nano tokens on the BitGrail exchange in a hack disclosed in February.
“It’s hard for me,” he said. He sold some nano at a profit but now wishes he had sold the rest. “I didn’t heed my own gut.”
Unlike traditional stock and futures exchanges, whose businesses center on matching up trades for a small fee, crypto exchanges also safeguard investors’ virtual tokens. It is a task that many aren’t up to, investors and technology experts say.
“ As cryptocurrencies grow, hackers are going to go after digital wallets” and exchanges even more , said George Waller , an adviser at security firm BlockSafe Technologies Inc. Wallet companies act as cryptocurrency brokerage firms and often work closely with exchanges.
MORE
Cryptocurrency Worth $170 Million Missing From Italian Exchange (Feb. 10)Japanese Cryptocurrency Exchange Coincheck to Pay Back Customers (Jan. 27)New Cyberattack on Cryptocurrency Investors Came From North Korea, Report Says (Jan. 17)Bitcoin’s Latest Glitch: Double Charges at Fast-Growing Coinbase (Feb. 16)Hackers Steal More Than $70 Million in Bitcoin (Dec. 7)
The two recent hacks show the particular vulnerability investors can face when buying unproven, speculative tokens on startup exchanges that aren’t regulated and derive a large chunk of volume from the new, untested currencies.
The website coinmarketcap.com tracks data for about 190 cryptocurrency exchanges, but only a handful are regulated in the U.S.
There are established digital-currency exchanges such as Coinbase’s GDAX, Gemini from Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss’ Gemini Trust Co., and Japan’s BitFlyer that are regulated and employ a variety of security measures. All are regulated by New York state’s Department of Financial Services, which requires measures designed to detect, prevent and respond to fraud and market manipulation.
There is nothing to compel an exchange to submit to regulations, however, and many don’t. Moreover, it is possible to buy standardized trading-program software, meaning all the exchange operators have to do essentially is come up with a name and logo.
The result is that many new exchanges are plagued by “shoddy management and shoddy systems,” said David Fragale, co-founder of security-services firm Atonomi. A mature financial-services firm, Mr. Fragale said, would implement security controls, risk-management systems, and compliance systems. They want to know who their customers are and what kinds of high-risk activity is taking place on their platforms.
investing platformsSource: the companies
Coincheck (2018)Mt. Gox (2014)BitGrail (2018)Bitfinex (2017)DAO (2016)Youbit (2017)$0 million$100$200$300$400$500$600Mt. Gox (2014)x$450 million
On many smaller exchanges, that isn’t happening, and retail investors are exposing their money to a kind of counterparty risk from the exchanges themselves, said Jonathan Levin, chief executive of research firm Coinanlysis. “People don’t know how to protect themselves.”
Many of the newer exchanges—BitGrail launched in 2017—hurried to capitalize on an exploding market for smaller, speculative cryptocurrencies that large exchanges wouldn’t handle, said Charles Hayter, CEO of research site CryptoCompare.
Established exchanges that host stock, options or futures trading face a variety of federal standards for fair access, cybersecurity and other areas of regulation. They also work closely with heavily regulated banks or brokerage firms, which regularly reimburse customers when a hack or technology problem leads to losses.
BitGrail, run by Italian entrepreneur Francesco Firano, was operating without any significant regulatory oversight. It focused on nano, a tiny cryptocurrency that began trading in 2015 under the name raiblocks.
For most of its history, raiblocks traded for pennies. Then, in December, it surged from around 20 cents to about $36. Mr. Firano didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Coincheck had applied with Japanese regulators for a cryptocurrency-exchange license. In recent weeks, Coincheck has said it plans to compensate its customers. A spokeswoman for the exchange said this week that “we are finalizing how we can pay back money for affected customers.”
Customers don’t have to put their money on an exchange when investing in a cryptocurrency, the spokeswoman added. Indeed, when organized cryptomarkets began appearing, it ostensibly added a layer of protection and an institutional element to the nascent market. One of the first such markets was Mt. Gox, which opened in 2010. Within a few years, it was handling around 70% of bitcoin transactions globally.
The site had extremely weak security protocols, however. In 2014, it announced that 850,000 bitcoin had been stolen, worth $450 million at the time. The site later recovered 200,000 bitcoin, which today are worth considerably more than they were in 2014. Creditors are still battling to recover their lost funds.
—Takashi Mochizuki and Alexander Osipovich contributed to this article.
Write to Paul Vigna at paul.vigna@wsj.com
February 14, 2018
Mr. Mark Kay reaffirms large deals and revenues...
Must listen to Mr. Kay's 13 minute interview from 2/14/2018.
https://upticknewswire.com/featured-interview...nk-sfor-4/
January 28, 2018
Mr. Mark Kay announces major deals and revenues...
Must watch : Mr. Kay's Fox Business News Television interview during the broadcast of "New to the Street" https://youtu.be/6zcJqecJZl4
January 24, 2018
Strikeforce files formal request for Appeal in Federal Circuit Court
Strikeforce Technologies, Inc v. Secureauth Corporation
Federal Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
0:18-cvpri-01470
January 09, 2018
Strikeforce announces NEW Blockchain subsidiary
EDISON, N.J., Jan. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StrikeForce Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK:SFOR) announced today the opening of a new subsidiary, BlockSafe Technologies, Inc. BlockSafe will focus on providing security solutions to protect blockchain and cryptocurrencies .
“We have been closely following the extraordinary growth of blockchain, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies for some time now,” says Mark L. Kay, CEO of StrikeForce. “When we saw that they were becoming mainstream disruptive technologies, we knew that hackers would quickly follow.” In recent months, crypto-criminals have successfully hacked companies like Youbit, BitFinex, Nicehash, Coindesk, Enigma and Tether. “Attacking blockchain, digital wallets and crypto-exchanges are becoming a daily occurrence,” says Kay, “and the current landscape of security solutions on the market just wasn’t designed to protect them.”
“That’s why we are so excited about StrikeForce becoming a leader in blockchain security,” says Kay. “Protecting blockchain and cryptocurrencies is a huge greenfield opportunity for us. Cybersecurity has typically lagged far behind innovation, but in this instance, we know exactly what’s needed, and the best part of it is that our existing patented technologies will play a key role in protecting private/corporate blockchains as well as digital wallets and cryptocurrencies.”
BlockSafe Technologies will offer three uniquely redesigned security solutions. The first is Blockchain Defender™, which will be the industry’s most comprehensive dedicated Blockchain firewall which includes access control and policy enforcement. The other two solutions are Desktop Defender™ and Mobile Defender™; both products will protect digital wallets and cryptocurrencies on MS Windows, Apple, iOS & Android platforms.
StrikeForce will license its existing technologies to BlockSafe Technologies, and in turn, BlockSafe will customize those technologies specifically to protect blockchain(s), digital wallets and cryptocurrencies.
Additionally, BlockSafe Technologies will engage in a Seed, a Pre-ICO and an ICO funding round, as part of this process, BlockSafe will also create its own BSAFE™ cryptocurrency tokens. For more information about BlockSafe Technologies Inc., go to www.blocksafetech.com.
December 13, 2017
Strikeforce announces MAJOR technology upgrade
EDISON, N.J., Dec. 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StrikeForce Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK:SFOR) announced today a major software upgrade for GuardedID®, making it the best anti-keylogging software for your PC or MAC, with the most unprecedented security benefits .
“We are extremely pleased about this new release,” says, Mark L. Kay, CEO of StrikeForce. “We have added several new critical features to enhance the security for both consumers and corporations. GuardedID’s main security feature is its keystroke encryption capability. We are now extending its patented encryption capability to include Microsoft Windows 10 Operating system and Windows 10 desktop applications. Another feature that people have always loved is our Crypto-Color® visual verification capability, which shows you that GuardedID is protecting your browser inputs by highlighting what you type in green (or the color of your choice). Crypto-Color is now available as a browser extension and supports MS Edge, Chrome, Safari & Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers. Additionally, an anti-clickjack warning feature (which un-hides invisible objects embedded into infected iFrames) automatically comes as part of our Crypto-Color feature. Last, but certainly not least is our new anti-hooking capability which un-hooks unwanted malware from trying to steal your personal & confidential information.”
While cyber criminals know that keylogging malware is the de facto standard on how to steal login credentials and confidential information, they are constantly adding new attack vectors to trick and deceive. Clickjacking and hooking are examples of two new attack vectors that should not be underestimated. This new breed of spyware is also designed to avoid detection from all the popular anti-virus programs. GuardedID can now prevent this new breed of attack vectors from being successful.
“Today, practicing smarter cyber security requires a layered approach, an approach that addresses these new attack vectors like Keylogging, clickjacking and hooking. This is why this release is so significant for everyone, it addresses those attack-vectors head-on, and comes in just the nick of time,” says Kay.
December 8, 2017
Strikeforce Strongly Disagrees with SecureAuth Early Motion to Dismiss
EDISON, N.J., Dec. 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StrikeForce Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK:SFOR). On December 1, 2017, The United States District Court for the Central District of California issued an opinion in the StrikeForce Technologies, Inc. v. SecureAuth Corp. case, which invalidated claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 7,870,599, 8,484,698 and 8,713,701 under 35 U.S.C. §101. StrikeForce strongly disagrees with the court’s decision and intends to immediately appeal the ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit once the court enters final judgment. StrikeForce has agreed to stay its patent litigations in the District of New Jersey against Centrify Corp. and Duo Security Inc. pending the appeal. StrikeForce believes that the litigations currently pending in the District of Massachusetts should also be stayed pending appeal and is discussing such a motion with the defendants in that case.
October 30, 2017
Major IPR Victory from the PTAB
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for joining us again today Mark. We read with great interest in your r ecent Press Release that United States Patent and Trademark Office denied two petitions for inter partes review, IPR2017-01041 and IPR2017-01064, filed by Centrify Corporation, Duo Security, Inc., and Trustwave Holdings, Inc. Care to elaborate on this major development?
Mark Kay: Thanks for the great question. This Press Release is definitely a major release relating to our 7 (seven) patents lawsuits . Not only did the USPTO deny the IPRs, but the entire IPRs were denied leaving DUO Security, Inc., Centrify Corporation, and Trustwave Holdings, Inc. with none of our claims being dropped. This is a positive and low percentage of occurrence . This means the Stay for 1 year or so doesn't happen. Instead it will only be some months delayed. We are very happy with this inter partes review decision and the great job our lawyers have done.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: What's the latest regarding your core business. Any updates you can share with us?
Mark Kay: We are working with major clients that our distributors are finalizing and some are starting to advertise . Currently we can't disclose, advertise or PR them, but overall we should be able to once we receive monies through these deals and they are done . We are hoping for something decent this year. If not, it will certainly be early next year but nothing we can do about the timing . There are also some medium size deals we are completing and in the retail space as we continue to sell on Home Shopping Network and through Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, etc., for which we should be receiving payments shortly through our new distributor.
August 2, 2017
Strikeforce Makes Bold Statements Regarding Game-Changing Year in 2017
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Congratulations on the traction you have achieved for StrikeForce solutions. Please give us an overview of these key relationships?
Mark Kay: That is a great question and we did start a Retail selling arm within StrikeForce where we manufacture boxes as necessary and sell GuardedID® and MobileTrust® through the stores and online. We go through a distributor who pays us about 90 days laterand manages the sites for us. Amazon is definitely a great seller for us amongst others and now that we are on HSN we will continue to have more showings there, which seem to be beneficial. This is definitely a good lead for us. It is also a great way to understand how our keystroke encryption patented products work (GuardedID) and (MobileTrust), for which it is the only solution that has its own keyboard on iPhone and Android mobile devices. We expect to spend more time and money in this area.
Additionally, StrikeForce projects 2017 to be the game changing year for StrikeForce Technologies as our products are increasing in sales and demand as Cyber Theft and Data Breaches increase daily and gain greater media coverage with corporate and consumer growing concerns, says Kay. The projected increase is also based on documented increases in Cyber Security budgets in 2017-2018 globally across all markets .
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: What’s the latest, please, regarding the launch on HSN?
Mark Kay: Simply stated, we can’t really talk about HSN, other than it is going well and we will have two more showings in August. We see this as a great learning curve for the customers and definitely getting the name out there as a very strong and unique anti-malware solution for PCs, MACs, and Mobile Devices that work REAL-TIME! Mobile Devices have now become a major target for many hackers and malware; and we have the ONLY solution that stops stealing from Mobile Devices (iPhones and Androids) with keystroke encryption and ease of use. Sales are definitely growing.
SecuritySolutions Watch.com: Any new products StrikeForce is offering?
Mark Kay: StrikeForce has been doing research for a number of years and is coming out with our own PUSH capability on ProtectID® (fingerprint, Allow or Deny, OTP, etc.), our authentication product that is also heavily patented as well. We now have it as a technical capability that three of our ProtectID clients are testing it. We should be announcing it in production within a few months. This is very key and part of our patents , which Google and RSA just announced their heavy use of PUSH Authentication as their main capability.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Any other key customers or relationships you’d like to mention?
Mark Kay: As I have said in an interview around the first of the year, we have some major new clients now testing and about to go live and we should receive revenues from them during the second half of this year, probably closer to the end of year. They are mainly through our channel partners and we are very excited about these deals and have worked on them for some years . We will put out a PR when they start large sales that will lead to revenues worth reporting on. These sales should bypass the sales to date.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: One will read on your Homepage that, “StrikeForce Technologies is a unique Cybersecurity Company for businesses & consumers that provides, “Out-of-Band Authentication” and “Endpoint Protection” using keystroke encryption, for signing on securely to your bank, broker, retail stores, etc.” How does it work, Mark?
Mark Kay: It would take too long in an interview to explain how our products work in detail, but using our Out-Of-Band Authentication and Keystroke Encryption will definitely be unique in the industry, especially now with PUSH Authentication. This will definitely be the best way to sign on to a bank that provides a solution, which prevents Cybersecurity issues through authentication and encryption working together for you.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Can we talk about the bitcoin market for a moment? What is your perspective regarding this new currency and the unique capabilities of StrikeForce to participate in this explosive new space?
Mark Kay: StrikeForce has been studying the bitcoin market and we see that our products, can definitely add great value to this new market (stopping Ransomware and Authentication) and we are looking into participating in some way in this new Blockchain Market.
March 8, 2018
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for joining us again today Mark at this very exciting time in the growth of StrikeForce. The blockchain tsunami is undeniably now upon us.
We read with great interest in your recent Press Release that StrikeForce has, “…been closely following the extraordinary growth of blockchain, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies for some time now. When we saw that they were becoming mainstream disruptive technologies, we knew that hackers would quickly follow. In recent months, crypto-criminals have successfully hacked companies like Youbit, BitFinex, Nicehash, Coindesk, Enigma and Tether. Attacking blockchain, digital wallets and crypto-exchanges are becoming a daily occurrence and the current landscape of security solutions on the market just wasn’t designed to protect them.”
Please tell us more about your new subsidiary, BlockSafe, and the security solutions it will deliver to protect blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
(Note to readers: see the Blockchain overviews here at Investopedia and Wikipedia)
Mark Kay: That is a great question and of course, what BlockSafe is all about. BlockSafe is a NEW blockchain company with a BSAFE™ token. This seems to be the only security software company that provides security solutions for a blockchain company that prevents hacking a wallet one uses to process their blockchain transaction through the use of our Crypto Defender product that stops keyloggers from stealing your keystrokes and also from the camera, Clipboard and audio copy prevention and anti-ransomware and eventually self-healing. We also will provide our Blockchain Defender™ Agent that acts like a blockchain firewall that authenticates users, enforces corporate policies, acts as a load balance and protects from DDoS attacks. These products will be available in a short time for some features and within a year for some others. A very unique opportunity.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: What are the latest developments regarding your core product line: ProtectID®, GuardedID®, and MobileTrust® ?
Mark Kay: Thanks for asking, and this year really is the year for StrikeForce , even though I did say it last year. Unfortunately, the companies implementing our products in our channel did a lot more testing than planned, but fortunately they are about ready for large implementations to over millions of clients during this year. We are getting ready and we should have some real soon. We will let you know at least a few months after they go live and we can then PR them. Also our retail deals and company is about to sell through Canada through another Home Shopping website that could go internationally, as well as continuing selling through HSN and other stoes and websites in the US.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you again for joining us today Mark. Any other subjects you would like to talk about?
Mark Kay: Martin, I believe this is becoming a great year for us with the starting of our blockchain subsidiary, BlockSafe, and the continuation and finally implementation of our channel partners and our own enterprise clients[/b]. Stay tuned for more great reports and thanks for the opportunity to let everyone know about our great products, as we continue to grow them.
March 4, 2018
Wall Street Journal interviews Blocksafe Technologies advisor and current EVP from Strikeforce Technologies George Waller
Wall Street Journal ARTICLE
Cryptocurrency traders are learning that where they buy and sell digital tokens can be just as risky as choosing a coin or picking a price.
Investors have lost more than $700 million this year in hacks of two major cryptocurrency exchanges. The thefts at Florence, Italy-based BitGrail and Japan’s Coincheck bring total investor hacking losses since 2014 to around $1.4 billion, according to a Wall Street Journal review of recent hacks.
The hacks reflect an oft-overlooked risk of trading in bitcoin and related digital currencies: While scores of online exchanges have sprung up in the past two years as crypto prices surged, they typically bear little resemblance to the well-financed, better-regulated venues that enable investors to buy and sell stocks, bonds and commodities.
2014’15’16’17’180100200300400500600700$800
Given the peer-to-peer nature of cryptocurrencies, investors don’t have to deal directly with exchanges when they buy these assets. But many have done so because exchanges seem safer and more convenient, a judgment some have come to regret.
Jeff Furman, a 22-year old student at Northern Virginia Community College, said he lost about $60,000 worth of nano tokens on the BitGrail exchange in a hack disclosed in February.
“It’s hard for me,” he said. He sold some nano at a profit but now wishes he had sold the rest. “I didn’t heed my own gut.”
Unlike traditional stock and futures exchanges, whose businesses center on matching up trades for a small fee, crypto exchanges also safeguard investors’ virtual tokens. It is a task that many aren’t up to, investors and technology experts say.
“ As cryptocurrencies grow, hackers are going to go after digital wallets” and exchanges even more , said George Waller , an adviser at security firm BlockSafe Technologies Inc. Wallet companies act as cryptocurrency brokerage firms and often work closely with exchanges.
MORE
Cryptocurrency Worth $170 Million Missing From Italian Exchange (Feb. 10)Japanese Cryptocurrency Exchange Coincheck to Pay Back Customers (Jan. 27)New Cyberattack on Cryptocurrency Investors Came From North Korea, Report Says (Jan. 17)Bitcoin’s Latest Glitch: Double Charges at Fast-Growing Coinbase (Feb. 16)Hackers Steal More Than $70 Million in Bitcoin (Dec. 7)
The two recent hacks show the particular vulnerability investors can face when buying unproven, speculative tokens on startup exchanges that aren’t regulated and derive a large chunk of volume from the new, untested currencies.
The website coinmarketcap.com tracks data for about 190 cryptocurrency exchanges, but only a handful are regulated in the U.S.
There are established digital-currency exchanges such as Coinbase’s GDAX, Gemini from Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss’ Gemini Trust Co., and Japan’s BitFlyer that are regulated and employ a variety of security measures. All are regulated by New York state’s Department of Financial Services, which requires measures designed to detect, prevent and respond to fraud and market manipulation.
There is nothing to compel an exchange to submit to regulations, however, and many don’t. Moreover, it is possible to buy standardized trading-program software, meaning all the exchange operators have to do essentially is come up with a name and logo.
The result is that many new exchanges are plagued by “shoddy management and shoddy systems,” said David Fragale, co-founder of security-services firm Atonomi. A mature financial-services firm, Mr. Fragale said, would implement security controls, risk-management systems, and compliance systems. They want to know who their customers are and what kinds of high-risk activity is taking place on their platforms.
investing platformsSource: the companies
Coincheck (2018)Mt. Gox (2014)BitGrail (2018)Bitfinex (2017)DAO (2016)Youbit (2017)$0 million$100$200$300$400$500$600Mt. Gox (2014)x$450 million
On many smaller exchanges, that isn’t happening, and retail investors are exposing their money to a kind of counterparty risk from the exchanges themselves, said Jonathan Levin, chief executive of research firm Coinanlysis. “People don’t know how to protect themselves.”
Many of the newer exchanges—BitGrail launched in 2017—hurried to capitalize on an exploding market for smaller, speculative cryptocurrencies that large exchanges wouldn’t handle, said Charles Hayter, CEO of research site CryptoCompare.
Established exchanges that host stock, options or futures trading face a variety of federal standards for fair access, cybersecurity and other areas of regulation. They also work closely with heavily regulated banks or brokerage firms, which regularly reimburse customers when a hack or technology problem leads to losses.
BitGrail, run by Italian entrepreneur Francesco Firano, was operating without any significant regulatory oversight. It focused on nano, a tiny cryptocurrency that began trading in 2015 under the name raiblocks.
For most of its history, raiblocks traded for pennies. Then, in December, it surged from around 20 cents to about $36. Mr. Firano didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Coincheck had applied with Japanese regulators for a cryptocurrency-exchange license. In recent weeks, Coincheck has said it plans to compensate its customers. A spokeswoman for the exchange said this week that “we are finalizing how we can pay back money for affected customers.”
Customers don’t have to put their money on an exchange when investing in a cryptocurrency, the spokeswoman added. Indeed, when organized cryptomarkets began appearing, it ostensibly added a layer of protection and an institutional element to the nascent market. One of the first such markets was Mt. Gox, which opened in 2010. Within a few years, it was handling around 70% of bitcoin transactions globally.
The site had extremely weak security protocols, however. In 2014, it announced that 850,000 bitcoin had been stolen, worth $450 million at the time. The site later recovered 200,000 bitcoin, which today are worth considerably more than they were in 2014. Creditors are still battling to recover their lost funds.
—Takashi Mochizuki and Alexander Osipovich contributed to this article.
Write to Paul Vigna at paul.vigna@wsj.com
February 14, 2018
Mr. Mark Kay reaffirms large deals and revenues...
Must listen to Mr. Kay's 13 minute interview from 2/14/2018.
https://upticknewswire.com/featured-interview...nk-sfor-4/
January 28, 2018
Mr. Mark Kay announces major deals and revenues...
Must watch : Mr. Kay's Fox Business News Television interview during the broadcast of "New to the Street" https://youtu.be/6zcJqecJZl4
January 24, 2018
Strikeforce files formal request for Appeal in Federal Circuit Court
Strikeforce Technologies, Inc v. Secureauth Corporation
Federal Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
0:18-cvpri-01470
January 09, 2018
Strikeforce announces NEW Blockchain subsidiary
EDISON, N.J., Jan. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StrikeForce Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK:SFOR) announced today the opening of a new subsidiary, BlockSafe Technologies, Inc. BlockSafe will focus on providing security solutions to protect blockchain and cryptocurrencies .
“We have been closely following the extraordinary growth of blockchain, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies for some time now,” says Mark L. Kay, CEO of StrikeForce. “When we saw that they were becoming mainstream disruptive technologies, we knew that hackers would quickly follow.” In recent months, crypto-criminals have successfully hacked companies like Youbit, BitFinex, Nicehash, Coindesk, Enigma and Tether. “Attacking blockchain, digital wallets and crypto-exchanges are becoming a daily occurrence,” says Kay, “and the current landscape of security solutions on the market just wasn’t designed to protect them.”
“That’s why we are so excited about StrikeForce becoming a leader in blockchain security,” says Kay. “Protecting blockchain and cryptocurrencies is a huge greenfield opportunity for us. Cybersecurity has typically lagged far behind innovation, but in this instance, we know exactly what’s needed, and the best part of it is that our existing patented technologies will play a key role in protecting private/corporate blockchains as well as digital wallets and cryptocurrencies.”
BlockSafe Technologies will offer three uniquely redesigned security solutions. The first is Blockchain Defender™, which will be the industry’s most comprehensive dedicated Blockchain firewall which includes access control and policy enforcement. The other two solutions are Desktop Defender™ and Mobile Defender™; both products will protect digital wallets and cryptocurrencies on MS Windows, Apple, iOS & Android platforms.
StrikeForce will license its existing technologies to BlockSafe Technologies, and in turn, BlockSafe will customize those technologies specifically to protect blockchain(s), digital wallets and cryptocurrencies.
Additionally, BlockSafe Technologies will engage in a Seed, a Pre-ICO and an ICO funding round, as part of this process, BlockSafe will also create its own BSAFE™ cryptocurrency tokens. For more information about BlockSafe Technologies Inc., go to www.blocksafetech.com.
December 13, 2017
Strikeforce announces MAJOR technology upgrade
EDISON, N.J., Dec. 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StrikeForce Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK:SFOR) announced today a major software upgrade for GuardedID®, making it the best anti-keylogging software for your PC or MAC, with the most unprecedented security benefits .
“We are extremely pleased about this new release,” says, Mark L. Kay, CEO of StrikeForce. “We have added several new critical features to enhance the security for both consumers and corporations. GuardedID’s main security feature is its keystroke encryption capability. We are now extending its patented encryption capability to include Microsoft Windows 10 Operating system and Windows 10 desktop applications. Another feature that people have always loved is our Crypto-Color® visual verification capability, which shows you that GuardedID is protecting your browser inputs by highlighting what you type in green (or the color of your choice). Crypto-Color is now available as a browser extension and supports MS Edge, Chrome, Safari & Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers. Additionally, an anti-clickjack warning feature (which un-hides invisible objects embedded into infected iFrames) automatically comes as part of our Crypto-Color feature. Last, but certainly not least is our new anti-hooking capability which un-hooks unwanted malware from trying to steal your personal & confidential information.”
While cyber criminals know that keylogging malware is the de facto standard on how to steal login credentials and confidential information, they are constantly adding new attack vectors to trick and deceive. Clickjacking and hooking are examples of two new attack vectors that should not be underestimated. This new breed of spyware is also designed to avoid detection from all the popular anti-virus programs. GuardedID can now prevent this new breed of attack vectors from being successful.
“Today, practicing smarter cyber security requires a layered approach, an approach that addresses these new attack vectors like Keylogging, clickjacking and hooking. This is why this release is so significant for everyone, it addresses those attack-vectors head-on, and comes in just the nick of time,” says Kay.
December 8, 2017
Strikeforce Strongly Disagrees with SecureAuth Early Motion to Dismiss
EDISON, N.J., Dec. 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StrikeForce Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK:SFOR). On December 1, 2017, The United States District Court for the Central District of California issued an opinion in the StrikeForce Technologies, Inc. v. SecureAuth Corp. case, which invalidated claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 7,870,599, 8,484,698 and 8,713,701 under 35 U.S.C. §101. StrikeForce strongly disagrees with the court’s decision and intends to immediately appeal the ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit once the court enters final judgment. StrikeForce has agreed to stay its patent litigations in the District of New Jersey against Centrify Corp. and Duo Security Inc. pending the appeal. StrikeForce believes that the litigations currently pending in the District of Massachusetts should also be stayed pending appeal and is discussing such a motion with the defendants in that case.
October 30, 2017
Major IPR Victory from the PTAB
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for joining us again today Mark. We read with great interest in your r ecent Press Release that United States Patent and Trademark Office denied two petitions for inter partes review, IPR2017-01041 and IPR2017-01064, filed by Centrify Corporation, Duo Security, Inc., and Trustwave Holdings, Inc. Care to elaborate on this major development?
Mark Kay: Thanks for the great question. This Press Release is definitely a major release relating to our 7 (seven) patents lawsuits . Not only did the USPTO deny the IPRs, but the entire IPRs were denied leaving DUO Security, Inc., Centrify Corporation, and Trustwave Holdings, Inc. with none of our claims being dropped. This is a positive and low percentage of occurrence . This means the Stay for 1 year or so doesn't happen. Instead it will only be some months delayed. We are very happy with this inter partes review decision and the great job our lawyers have done.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: What's the latest regarding your core business. Any updates you can share with us?
Mark Kay: We are working with major clients that our distributors are finalizing and some are starting to advertise . Currently we can't disclose, advertise or PR them, but overall we should be able to once we receive monies through these deals and they are done . We are hoping for something decent this year. If not, it will certainly be early next year but nothing we can do about the timing . There are also some medium size deals we are completing and in the retail space as we continue to sell on Home Shopping Network and through Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, etc., for which we should be receiving payments shortly through our new distributor.
August 2, 2017
Strikeforce Makes Bold Statements Regarding Game-Changing Year in 2017
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Congratulations on the traction you have achieved for StrikeForce solutions. Please give us an overview of these key relationships?
Mark Kay: That is a great question and we did start a Retail selling arm within StrikeForce where we manufacture boxes as necessary and sell GuardedID® and MobileTrust® through the stores and online. We go through a distributor who pays us about 90 days laterand manages the sites for us. Amazon is definitely a great seller for us amongst others and now that we are on HSN we will continue to have more showings there, which seem to be beneficial. This is definitely a good lead for us. It is also a great way to understand how our keystroke encryption patented products work (GuardedID) and (MobileTrust), for which it is the only solution that has its own keyboard on iPhone and Android mobile devices. We expect to spend more time and money in this area.
Additionally, StrikeForce projects 2017 to be the game changing year for StrikeForce Technologies as our products are increasing in sales and demand as Cyber Theft and Data Breaches increase daily and gain greater media coverage with corporate and consumer growing concerns, says Kay. The projected increase is also based on documented increases in Cyber Security budgets in 2017-2018 globally across all markets .
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: What’s the latest, please, regarding the launch on HSN?
Mark Kay: Simply stated, we can’t really talk about HSN, other than it is going well and we will have two more showings in August. We see this as a great learning curve for the customers and definitely getting the name out there as a very strong and unique anti-malware solution for PCs, MACs, and Mobile Devices that work REAL-TIME! Mobile Devices have now become a major target for many hackers and malware; and we have the ONLY solution that stops stealing from Mobile Devices (iPhones and Androids) with keystroke encryption and ease of use. Sales are definitely growing.
SecuritySolutions Watch.com: Any new products StrikeForce is offering?
Mark Kay: StrikeForce has been doing research for a number of years and is coming out with our own PUSH capability on ProtectID® (fingerprint, Allow or Deny, OTP, etc.), our authentication product that is also heavily patented as well. We now have it as a technical capability that three of our ProtectID clients are testing it. We should be announcing it in production within a few months. This is very key and part of our patents , which Google and RSA just announced their heavy use of PUSH Authentication as their main capability.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Any other key customers or relationships you’d like to mention?
Mark Kay: As I have said in an interview around the first of the year, we have some major new clients now testing and about to go live and we should receive revenues from them during the second half of this year, probably closer to the end of year. They are mainly through our channel partners and we are very excited about these deals and have worked on them for some years . We will put out a PR when they start large sales that will lead to revenues worth reporting on. These sales should bypass the sales to date.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: One will read on your Homepage that, “StrikeForce Technologies is a unique Cybersecurity Company for businesses & consumers that provides, “Out-of-Band Authentication” and “Endpoint Protection” using keystroke encryption, for signing on securely to your bank, broker, retail stores, etc.” How does it work, Mark?
Mark Kay: It would take too long in an interview to explain how our products work in detail, but using our Out-Of-Band Authentication and Keystroke Encryption will definitely be unique in the industry, especially now with PUSH Authentication. This will definitely be the best way to sign on to a bank that provides a solution, which prevents Cybersecurity issues through authentication and encryption working together for you.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Can we talk about the bitcoin market for a moment? What is your perspective regarding this new currency and the unique capabilities of StrikeForce to participate in this explosive new space?
Mark Kay: StrikeForce has been studying the bitcoin market and we see that our products, can definitely add great value to this new market (stopping Ransomware and Authentication) and we are looking into participating in some way in this new Blockchain Market.
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