Department of Homeland Security (USA) looking into tracking Monero and Zcash transactions

DHS has had great success with tracking and analyzing Bitcoin transactions already. They are now looking for similar solutions for tracking “privacy coins.”

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is interested in acquiring technology solutions that can track newer cryptocurrencies, such as Zcash and Monero.

According to a pre-solicitation document [PDF], the DHS wants to know if this is possible, before filing an official solicitation request later down the line.
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Monero (UNTRACEABLE, PRIVATE, UNLINKABLE) Cryptocurrency

If you are looking to transact in secure, untraceable, unlinkable manner. Monero is the answer. Monero is designed with the following principles in mind.

  • Network decentralization: The Monero network and ledger are distributed globally. There is no single server or database that can be maliciously hacked, controlled, or censored.
  • Financial security: The Monero network is self-secured by incorruptible cryptographic mechanisms, so there is no need to trust a third party with responsibility over your funds and transactions.
  • Financial privacy: Most blockchain systems achieve strong security at the expense of privacy. However, Monero prioritizes providing total privacy with no security concessions. Transaction amounts, sender identity, and recipient identity are all obfuscated on the blockchain, so your Monero storage and spending activities are not trackable.
  • Fungibility: The term fungibility refers to assets whose units are considered indistinguishable and interchangeable. In the case of Monero, its fungibility is a feature of its sophisticated privacy practices; the obfuscated transaction record obscures the history of all monero.. If you let your friend borrow 1 Monero, they can return any 1 Monero, since they’re indistinguishable.

Monero is the leading cryptocurrency with a focus on private and censorship-resistant transactions.

Most existing cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, have transparent blockchains, meaning that transactions are openly verifiable and traceable by anyone in the world. Furthermore, sending and receiving addresses for these transactions may potentially be linkable to a person’s real-world identity.

Monero uses cryptography to shield sending and receiving addresses, as well as transacted amounts.
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Heritage Condominium, Jalan Pahang (2002年4月 雲頂 吉冷路公寓 三女命案)

Affordable and freehold condo, 5 KM from KLCC with a Story behind

Source: http://www.chinapress.com.my/?p=1185238 2002年4月 雲頂吉冷路公寓 三女命案 _ 中國報 China Press

2002年4月初,警方接獲投報,在雪州萬撓鄧普勒公園,發現一輛可疑的飛霞轎車。警方按圖索驥,確認車主身分後,於4月5日前往吉隆坡雲頂吉冷路一間公寓單位尋人,沒想到破門而入後,映入眼簾的,竟是滿屋子血的恐怖畫面!

案發單位內的客廳地板上沾滿了血跡,躺著2具女子屍體,現場還有長達20呎的“血路”,從客廳延伸到其中一間睡房。警方過後還發現,睡房內還有另外一具女子屍體。

滿屋子的惡臭和血腥味,嚇壞了在場的警員和公寓保安員。

三名女死者死狀恐怖,一人在客廳被重物和巴冷刀砍死、一人在走出房門時被攻擊,其中一隻手指被切斷,臥屍處還有碎髮﹔另一名臥屍房間的女死者,則在生前遭遇嚴重折磨,身上有刀傷,頭部被重物敲擊至裂開慘死。

警方封鎖現場展開調查,發現3名女死者的證件和凶器都不翼而飛﹔更弔詭的是,她們彷彿只是被邀請來的客人,沒有在案發的公寓單位生活過的痕跡;單位內沒有女性衣物,也沒有任何女性私人物品。

警方因為遍尋不獲女死者的證件,無法確定她們的身份和來歷,只能憑著三人白皙的膚色、高挑纖瘦的身形,揣測她們是雙十年華的中國籍女郎﹔也因為當時“中國小龍女”盛行,三名死者還一度被流傳為賣淫的風塵女郎。

三名女死者的遺體被送到醫院剖驗,3人身上的傷勢證實是被“銳利的重物”致死,兇手似乎與三人有著深仇大恨,每一位女死者身上的刀傷都是刀刀入骨,刀刀奪命。

警方當時不排除兇徒或是同一人,懷疑兇徒是預謀殺害其中一名女死者,卻被另2人撞破,於是決定殺人滅口。

然而,一切的一切,都依然只是眾人的推敲,解鈴還需繫鈴人,被認為是破案關鍵的可疑轎車車主楊俊平,卻像人間蒸發一樣,音訊全無。

楊俊平,來自柔佛永平,案發當年34歲,他畢業於拉曼大學資訊工藝系,2001年從一家金融公司離職。他在求學期間,曾住在吉隆坡迪沙文良港,並在案發前約5年,租下案發單位居住。

警方為了起底楊俊平,逐一詢問他的前屋主、案發單位屋主和附近住戶,還南下永平尋人,掌握了楊俊平的樣貌,得知他是一名身形高瘦、皮膚白皙的男子,但平日深入簡出,也甚少與人交流。警方因為無法掌握更多消息,案件也因此陷入膠著。

案件發生不久,坊間開始流傳出三名女死者中的其中一人,是楊俊平的泰籍妻子的說法,儘管沒有確切證據,警方還是保有希望,將三人的脫氧核醣核酸資料轉交泰國警方核對,只是結果依然令人失望,三名女死者的身份依然成迷。

就這樣,轟動一時的三屍命案就在關鍵人物楊俊平人間蒸發、女死者身分不明、案情陷入死胡同的情況下,逐漸走出民眾的視線,慢慢被其他案件取代,至今仍是懸案一宗。