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@ d1d95580:0e253b97
2025-03-12 16:43:53
Bitcoin is grabbing attention today, March 12, 2025, with its price surging nearly 2.3% to $81,871.0 by mid-afternoon (CET), as reported by Investing.com. The spark? U.S. inflation data for February, released this morning, landed cooler than expected, calming fears of runaway price pressures. This softer reading has ignited a rally in risk-on assets like Bitcoin, lifting it from a recent skid below $77,000 earlier this week. After a shaky stretch, today’s bounce shows just how tightly Bitcoin tracks macroeconomic pulses, with traders now eyeing a potential push past $82,000—a key psychological level.
The rebound follows a turbulent few days. Bitcoin was scraping four-month lows as recently as Monday, dragged down by a risk-off mood across markets. Today’s swift turnaround highlights its volatility and its role as a barometer for investor sentiment. If this momentum holds, it could signal a fresh wave of optimism, though cautious voices warn that broader economic uncertainties—like the Federal Reserve’s next moves—still loom large.
## Beyond the Price: Indirect Currents Shaping Bitcoin
Bitcoin’s story today isn’t just about the ticker. Several undercurrents are quietly influencing its ecosystem, starting with energy markets. Oil prices edged up slightly today, per Yahoo Finance, a subtle but real factor for Bitcoin miners who rely on energy to secure the network. Rising energy costs could pinch mining profitability, especially in fossil-fuel-dependent regions, potentially nudging hash rate dynamics in the weeks ahead. It’s not front-page news today, but this slow-moving variable remains a critical piece of Bitcoin’s proof-of-work puzzle.
On the regulatory horizon, fresh developments are stirring. Senator Cynthia Lummis reintroduced the Bitcoin Act today, according to X posts from crypto watchers, aiming to solidify Bitcoin’s legal status in the U.S. Details are scarce, but the proposal reflects growing momentum to weave Bitcoin into the financial fabric—a long-term tailwind that’s picking up steam. Meanwhile, Trump’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve idea, still a talking point on X, floats as a bold vision for a national stash. No firm updates broke today, but these policy threads ripple in the background, bolstering Bitcoin’s case as a systemic contender.
## Macro Ties and Market Context
Zoom out, and macroeconomic shadows come into view. The U.S. dollar softened slightly today after the inflation data, per Bloomberg, a move that often lifts Bitcoin’s appeal as an alternative store of value. If dollar weakness persists, it could amplify BTC’s shine, especially with inflation still a hot topic despite today’s numbers. Equity markets, like the Nasdaq, also ticked up modestly, per Reuters, mirroring the risk-on vibe boosting Bitcoin. These aren’t direct drivers but weave a broader tapestry of sentiment that Bitcoin both reflects and resists.
Today’s price pop steals the show—a vivid reminder of how fast Bitcoin can pivot when new data lands. Whether this is a springboard to higher ground or a fleeting breather in a choppy 2025, the interplay of miners, policymakers, and macro forces keeps Bitcoin’s narrative dynamic. The blockchain hums on, but it’s the world around it that’s turning up the volume.
Stay tuned—this ride’s far from over.
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@ 04c915da:3dfbecc9
2025-03-12 15:30:46
Recently we have seen a wave of high profile X accounts hacked. These attacks have exposed the fragility of the status quo security model used by modern social media platforms like X. Many users have asked if nostr fixes this, so lets dive in. How do these types of attacks translate into the world of nostr apps? For clarity, I will use X’s security model as representative of most big tech social platforms and compare it to nostr.
**The Status Quo**
On X, you never have full control of your account. Ultimately to use it requires permission from the company. They can suspend your account or limit your distribution. Theoretically they can even post from your account at will. An X account is tied to an email and password. Users can also opt into two factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of protection, a login code generated by an app. In theory, this setup works well, but it places a heavy burden on users. You need to create a strong, unique password and safeguard it. You also need to ensure your email account and phone number remain secure, as attackers can exploit these to reset your credentials and take over your account. Even if you do everything responsibly, there is another weak link in X infrastructure itself. The platform’s infrastructure allows accounts to be reset through its backend. This could happen maliciously by an employee or through an external attacker who compromises X’s backend. When an account is compromised, the legitimate user often gets locked out, unable to post or regain control without contacting X’s support team. That process can be slow, frustrating, and sometimes fruitless if support denies the request or cannot verify your identity. Often times support will require users to provide identification info in order to regain access, which represents a privacy risk. The centralized nature of X means you are ultimately at the mercy of the company’s systems and staff.
**Nostr Requires Responsibility**
Nostr flips this model radically. Users do not need permission from a company to access their account, they can generate as many accounts as they want, and cannot be easily censored. The key tradeoff here is that users have to take complete responsibility for their security. Instead of relying on a username, password, and corporate servers, nostr uses a private key as the sole credential for your account. Users generate this key and it is their responsibility to keep it safe. As long as you have your key, you can post. If someone else gets it, they can post too. It is that simple. This design has strong implications. Unlike X, there is no backend reset option. If your key is compromised or lost, there is no customer support to call. In a compromise scenario, both you and the attacker can post from the account simultaneously. Neither can lock the other out, since nostr relays simply accept whatever is signed with a valid key.
The benefit? No reliance on proprietary corporate infrastructure.. The negative? Security rests entirely on how well you protect your key.
**Future Nostr Security Improvements**
For many users, nostr’s standard security model, storing a private key on a phone with an encrypted cloud backup, will likely be sufficient. It is simple and reasonably secure. That said, nostr’s strength lies in its flexibility as an open protocol. Users will be able to choose between a range of security models, balancing convenience and protection based on need.
One promising option is a web of trust model for key rotation. Imagine pre-selecting a group of trusted friends. If your account is compromised, these people could collectively sign an event announcing the compromise to the network and designate a new key as your legitimate one. Apps could handle this process seamlessly in the background, notifying followers of the switch without much user interaction. This could become a popular choice for average users, but it is not without tradeoffs. It requires trust in your chosen web of trust, which might not suit power users or large organizations. It also has the issue that some apps may not recognize the key rotation properly and followers might get confused about which account is “real.”
For those needing higher security, there is the option of multisig using FROST (Flexible Round-Optimized Schnorr Threshold). In this setup, multiple keys must sign off on every action, including posting and updating a profile. A hacker with just one key could not do anything. This is likely overkill for most users due to complexity and inconvenience, but it could be a game changer for large organizations, companies, and governments. Imagine the White House nostr account requiring signatures from multiple people before a post goes live, that would be much more secure than the status quo big tech model.
Another option are hardware signers, similar to bitcoin hardware wallets. Private keys are kept on secure, offline devices, separate from the internet connected phone or computer you use to broadcast events. This drastically reduces the risk of remote hacks, as private keys never touches the internet. It can be used in combination with multisig setups for extra protection. This setup is much less convenient and probably overkill for most but could be ideal for governments, companies, or other high profile accounts.
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Nostr’s security model is not perfect but is robust and versatile. Ultimately users are in control and security is their responsibility. Apps will give users multiple options to choose from and users will choose what best fits their need.
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@ 9dd283b1:cf9b6beb
2025-03-12 09:46:45
My Raspberry Pi 4 (running Umbrel) has been disconnecting approximately once a month, and my 1TB SSD now has only 80GB of space remaining. I'm considering an upgrade—possibly moving to a Pi 5 with a 2TB drive—but I'm open to any suggestions for a better setup within a similar budget. Any recommendations?
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/911133