Image credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto -weerapatkiatdumrong

Kaspersky Lab experts have identified a link between cyber attacks by two infamous cybercriminals – GreyEnergy (who is apparently the successor to the BlackEnergy group) and Sofacy, which focus on cyberbullying. Both used the same servers at the same time, but each with a different purpose.

BlackEnergy and Sofacy hackers are among the most wanted actors in the modern global cyber-crime scene. In the past, they have been involved in activities that have had far-reaching consequences on the infrastructure of some countries. The BlackEnergy group was one of the most famous cyber-attacks in history – its attacks targeted the Ukrainian power plant in 2015, causing power outages. The second group, Sofacy, has been very confused by its attacks on the US and European governmental organizations, which have not escaped national security and intelligence agencies. Rather, they have speculated in professional cyber-security circles that there is a link between the two groups, but so far there has been no evidence. Now it turns out that GreyEnergy (the successor of the BlackEnergy Group) uses malware that is very similar to the Sofacy tool for attacks on predominantly Ukrainian industrial companies and critical infrastructure components.

ICS CERT’s special team, as stated in the article, focuses on the research and elimination of threats to industrial systems, has found two servers hosted in Ukraine and Sweden, both used at the same time in June 2018. The GreyEnergy Group used servers in its phishing campaign to saving a malicious file. This has been downloaded by users after they opened a text document that was attached to a phishing e-mail. At the same time, Sofacy used this server as a C & C center (command and control) for its own malware. Because both groups have taken advantage of servers for a relatively short period of time, it is likely that they share the infrastructure. This is confirmed by the fact that both groups focused on the same company with spear-phishing emails within a week. In addition, they also used a similar phishing emails from the Kazakhstan Energy Ministry.

“The finding of shared infrastructure by the BlackEnergy and Sofacy groups points to a stronger link between the two actors. It gives us a deeper insight into the activities of these Russian speaking groups, what are their capabilities, potential goals and sacrifices, “

says Mária Garnaeva, a security expert from Kaspersky Lab.

In order for companies not to be victims of such attacks, Kaspersky Lab experts recommend that:

  • Examine employees in cyber security. In particular, focus on dealing with suspicious emails that come from unknown senders and contain links or attachments.
  • Introduce cyber-awareness programs that will be entertaining for employees and virtually verify their knowledge and skills.
  • Automate the implementation of operating system, application, software, and security solutions updates that are part of both IT and OT infrastructure.
  • Use a special security solution that includes behavioral anti-phishing technology and technology to protect against targeted attacks. These include, for example, Kaspersky Threat Management and Defense, which also detects advanced threats and network anomalies.

Source: KryptoMagazin.sk

September 15, 2014

Dear readers,

Please find  two videos below, both were shoot at the latest Asian Economy Conference.

Part 1

(more…)

November 18, 2019

hotforex review

HotForex is an STP (Straight Through Processing) broker that has been operating on the market since 2007.

The HotForex brand belongs to the company HF Markets Europe Ltd, which is overseen by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission CySEC. HotForex has a wide educational and investment offer. Customers of this broker can create one of many available accounts.

Mini Account with a leverage of 1: 100  or Zero Account  which has a minimum spread. Naturally, client funds are separated from broker funds. HotForex offers protection against a negative balance and is characterized by dynamic order execution. The broker provides a demo account for 30 days and is highly flexible in terms of the method of deposits and withdrawals.

The brand is listed in the following registers:

  • KNF Poland
  • FCA
  • BaFin Germany
  • CONSOB Italy,
  • ACP,
  • CNMV,
  • DFSA,
  • FI
  • HFSA.

Accounts can be kept in USD, PLN and EUR. The transaction platform made available to clients are MT4 and Webtrader as well as mobile platforms. The broker offers 50 currency pairs in CFDs, trading in commodities, shares and indices.

Many new and regular customers may be tempted by attractive promotions, for example:

  • free Account top-up
  • HotForex MasterCard
  • promotional products

The minimum size of items within the accounts: Micro, Fix and Zero is 0.01 lot, while in the VIP account 0.1 lot. The minimum deposit in the Micro account is $ 50, in the Fix $ 500, in Zero $ 100 and in VIP $ 20,000.

If you need further information on review of Hotforex accounts, please refer to this Hotforex review please also note that availability of each trading account depends on the GEO and deposit amount. Some accounts are not available for traders in EU. 

In addition, Premium, Auto and Islamic accounts without SWAP are also available. HotForex enjoys recognition and good opinions among investors.

HotForex reviews


Below you will find reviews about the HotForex broker. If you want to add your opinion on HotForex, then  kindly  send us a message via the contact form. Please provide enough information.

HotForex education

Professional training is great help not only for beginners, but also for intermediate investors. HF Markets (Hot Forex) has prepared a wide educational offer for its clients, including practical tutorials and e-learning. The broker organizes free live webinars during which investors can inquire about things they have doubts about. During the courses, traders acquire skills that make it easier for them to understand what is happening on the market and how to interpret individual changes. For novice investors, the broker gives access to an e-course, which contains tips on how to start trading and how to read and interpret charts to make the right decisions.

Expert advisor support

HotForex provides its clients with full support of advisers in over 20 different languages. Consultants are available to investors 24 hours a day, five days a week, which allows them to solve problems almost immediately. Advisors can be contacted by phone, via e-mail or live chat, which is very convenient. It is worth mentioning that recently HF Markets (HotForex) has its service office also in Warsaw.

How to open an account on Hot Forex?

Due to the positive feedback and good offer, many investors decide to open a brokerage account on HF Markets (Hot Forex). Registration takes place via the broker website and most importantly, does not take much time. To set up an account, first click the “Open Live account” tab, and then complete the form provided. All you need to do in the next steps is to follow the broker’s instructions. It is worth mentioning that investors can open an HF Markets (HotForex) demo account before opening a real account . The demo version of the account allows you to check your skills without the involvement of capital, which is a great solution especially for beginner traders.

Hotforex bonuses

Hotforex at the moment doesnt offer any welcome bonuses for EU traders, but you can grab Supercharge bonus if you reside outside of EU and sign up under their Seychelles branch. Visit the official page hotforex.com to check the latest promo. 

Disadvantages

In the investor environment, HF Markets (HotForex) is quite popular, but this does not mean that it has no shortcomings. The broker gives access to a wide educational offer, while most of the training materials provided have not been translated into Polish, which is a big problem for domestic users. The website does not meet all customer expectations, as some of the texts appear on it only in English.

Advantages

Investors are happy to open accounts on HF Markets (HotForex) mainly due to the low minimum deposit required (from 50 USD) and the extremely low transaction costs . The broker is called reliable because he has no problems with withdrawals and the trade is always smooth.

Among the broker’s strengths, it is worth highlighting:

  • low commissions,
  • narrow spreads
  • access to trading calculators and the economic calendar,
  • several types of accounts to choose from,
  • detailed analytical tools,
  • trading platforms with an intuitive interface,
  • membership in the Cyprus ICF, i.e. in the bank compensation fund in the event of bankruptcy,
  • live webinars,
  • the possibility of using scalping and hedging strategies.

 

Dear readers,

During the past week we have witnessed an unprecedent decline in the value of Bitcoin and altcoins.

Did the cryptocurrency market suddenly turn into a bear market ?

When we look at coinmarketcap.com website, we see that just between today 2nd February and yesterday meaning within 24 hours-$60bn of market capitalization just vanished! You might ask, where did this money go ? Well most probably as Bitcoin is losing its dominance, and altcoins are falling we are witnessing a slow mid-term bear market.

Most FOMO investors have been betting on the rise of Bitcoin, reaching a peak of $19,511 on Dec. 18 2017.

Since then there was only a steep downtrend and nobody knows where is the market heading to. Most probably cryptocurrency market prices are searching its bottom at the moment.

Here is explanation of the recent CRASH:

Financial Times: {go to FT.COM/VIDEO}

How CNBS explains what would happen:

foreignexchangeForex trading, which stands for the Foreign Exchange Market for currencies, is basically the exchange of one currency for another at a specific price. It is decentralized and by far the largest in the world in terms of volume of trading with an estimated daily turnover of $5.3 trillion.

“Essentially, people are selling one currency and simultaneously buying another one with purely speculative purposes and the main goal is to predict the price changes and profit from it.”

According to Mr. Miroslav Paulo owner of  forex blog  there is a lot of risk involved in forex  and it is strange that only small percent of traders will make real profits within first year!  Actually more than 90% of novice speculators will loose all their money. And that is hell of a lot of money if you compare forex to other investing assets like commodities for example.

What influences the market price ?

There are many factors that influence the prices on the market, but the most important are politics, huge investment flows, and rapid changes in economical environment.There are two key factors which are behind FOREX trading’s popularity and global success.

  • The first one is that it runs 24/7 without a break, which means trading is always open and there are no periods in which the prices change dramatically with the exchange being closed.
  • The second one is the so called leverage – it means users are required to deposit just a small percentage of the amount they are trading with.

This gives the opportunity to smaller players to join the game, while in the past currency trade was only open to banks and other big financial institutions. (more…)

options-investPeople who put aside some extra money usually want to invest to make it grow and protect their wealth from inflation. Ten years ago the most popular investment opportunities were investing into buying treasury or S&P500 stocks through a broker. This has changed dramatically with the rise of new mobile technologies. According to the recent studies almost fifteen percent of all investors now practice forex and binary trading mobile.

(more…)

Online trading tips can be found all over online. They are very many and most of the time confusing instead of being useful. However, some trading tips are not only useful but also extremely accurate. Since the trading forex online market involves increased levels of risk, it is not suitable for everyone. Below are some useful currency trading tips.

1.Trade smart

Most people think it takes several years to learn how to trade. Currency trading is quite easy to learn since simple systems operate best and all the basics of being successul during trading can be learn in a couple of weeks. You earn for being right and not working hard in currency trading.

(more…)

gold-nyceThе economic situation wе аrе hаvіng today hаѕ grounded thе vаluе оf bonds, stocks, аnd mоѕt importantly money. Wе аll knоw thаt large-scaled goods ѕuсh аѕ gas аnd oil аrе thе mоѕt powerful investments wе hаvе around. Mоѕt investors аrе talking аbоut thе risks thеу possess bесаuѕе оf geo-political аnd socio-economic factors. Wіth thеѕе circumstances, however, а lot оf individuals аrе turning thеіr attention tо thе vаluе оf gold аnd оthеr precious metals. Investing іn gold іѕ thе bеѕt роѕѕіblе solution уоu саn hаvе today, but dо уоu knоw whісh gold tо invest іn IRA?
Thеѕе days, mоѕt investors аrе investing іn gold bесаuѕе іt іѕ considered tо bе thе mоѕt secured asset іn thе market. Small аnd large investors, government reserves, аnd major banks frоm vаrіоuѕ countries соnѕіdеr gold аѕ а sheltered investment оr safe haven. Gold preserves іtѕ storing vаluе аnd purchasing power whаtеvеr thе situation is.

(more…)

strategyOf аll thе Forex trading strategies thаt уоu саn follow thе mоѕt common іѕ рrоbаblу day trading. Forex іѕ а lot bеttеr suited tо thіѕ type оf trading thаn оthеr investments аrе ѕо іt іѕ оnе thаt уоu ѕhоuld dеfіnіtеlу lооk into. It іѕ аn еѕресіаllу good strategy fоr thе beginner ѕіnсе іt dоеѕ nоt require уоu tо hold positions overnight.

Mоѕt people whеn thеу hear thе term day trading thіnk thаt іt іѕ а risky strategy thаt wіll ultimately еnd uр losing thеm money. Thаt іѕ bесаuѕе оf іtѕ widespread uѕе іn thе stock market. Stocks аrе nоt wеll suited tо day trading, currencies оn thе оthеr hand are. Thе reason іѕ thаt thе currency market іѕ open twenty fоur hours а day. Aѕ а result thеrе іѕ а lot mоrе time fоr prices tо change whісh іѕ whу holding а position overnight саn bе а problem. A strategy thаt hаѕ уоu close аll оf уоur positions аt thе еnd оf еасh day wіll hеlр уоu tо avoid thіѕ problem. (more…)

With the uncertain performance of most stock exchanges in the world, trading via forex trading platform has proved to amongst the investment that is stable regardless of the huge deviation in the market performance.

What are the forex indicators?

1. Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD)

If you want to know the strength of the trend as well as the estimated value at the end of the day, then you should use this forex indicator. From the analysis, you can make your prediction on the best time to earn the profits from the difference in pricing. Check the site forex sitefor more free info about MACD indicator. (more…)

November 2, 2014

valutahandel-nyborgjareCurrency trading also called as valutahandel  market is full of urban legends that can harm a trader’s chances at financial success. By knowing some of the major Forex myths, wise traders can avoid any unnecessary frustrations.

The market is rigged

Another one of the most popular Forex myths is that the currency market is rigged. The Forex market the largest in the world and it is likely that if an individual or company takes a non-businesslike approach to financial trading, it will quickly be spotted. Forex is not a scam and even though losses can occur, a fine-tuned strategy can reap financial dividends for the trader, especially during this economic climate. Accepting that losses do occur and developing a strategy that has a slight edge during these market conditions will bring significant returns.

Forex brokers trade against the traders

It is partial truth that bästa forex mäklare who are market makers can really trade against their own clients. It is shame but it may be truth.

But have  you ever asked yourself why  ? I mean, Market makers don’t need to do this because 65% up to 89% of clients are loosing money trading with Market Makers, this is simply cold hard fact. There are more newbies than serious traders, so why would a broker risk his hard earned reputation and do risky stop loss hunting or price requotation stuff when all they can do is sit and wait until a noobie will loose the money ???

Listen I tell you this…

Nowadays we have over regulated retail fx trading environment in EU and not so much in Vietnam but…

Look at FCA, Cysec and the whole MIFID2 and ESMA crazy stuff.. Do you think some fx company would like to risk their license by doing these dodgy  practices ? I mean if they get caught, could cost them lucrative EU market license..

And what about ECN Brokers ?

On the other hand, ECN brokers do not trade against clients because this is technically just not possible for them to do. But I mean how many true ECN brokers do you know ? If I count from the top of my head maybe 3 I know… IC Markets, Pepperstone and XTB ?  So be careful before you rush and deposit into ECN brokerage since it can be STP and not true ECN 🙂

Dealing desk is evil

How many times did I hear this on forums! Man you better visit the premises and check if you find dealing desk. If yes, run away!

Well unfortunately that is not truth. Dealing desk is ordinary department of each MM so relax.

Losses are the trader’s fault

Forex trading is rarely a way to get rich quick. Trading takes a level of patience, skill and consistency, as well as a knowledge of the market. Losses are not the trader’s fault and are down to market conditions, unless the trader has failed to follow his plan through. The possibility of loss creates opportunities for other winners. Without a small level of risk, no financial return is possible.

I know nothing about trading, I am doomed to fail

This is simply not true! One of the most irrelevant arguments against trading I used to hear from noobies. Why on earth do u think that only experts can win in trading ? In fact, researche studies show, that most of the time, noobies hit the gold and beat the market including highly paid professionals who are employed by Hedge Funds.

I can make money daytrading on forex

BULLSHIT !

This is a myth!

Almost noone can make money daytrading., well maybe bank daytraders can but that is whole different story.

It is just not possible for you and me, because there are so many factors that come into this game. You can be profitable daytrader, but you will eventually fail in longterm,

Bear this in mind, and watch below video by Andrew the owner of Learncurrencytradingonline.com

A more complex fx trading strategy is better

When currency traders begin with a simple strategy and see small returns, they often change their gameplay, hoping that they will increase their financial return if they evaluate a few more variables. This is often not the case. Profits are usually made at the margin, where even the most successful traders only win slightly more than when they lose. Stick with your original system and focus on managing your money instead.It’s best to develop a strong trading plan that has been tested by yourself. Always take responsibility for the failures and successes of your plan.

forexbroker guideChoosing the right forex broker to conduct your foreign currency exchange trading activities seems relatively easy on the surface. Unfortunately, when you look a little deeper, you’ll soon find that it’s important to choose the right account to suit you, or you could face problems later.

Many people still dont believe that you can earn money with forex, just look at Yahoo Answers forum and you will see those questions. People think it is TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. You’ll need a forex trading account if you intend to generate profits from trading foreign currencies, and an online forex account can give you a significant amount of freedom. When you trade online, you have the ability to place trades at any time of the day or night from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

Here are some other considerations to think about before signing up for your forex account:

Broker reputation is first thing to look for !

One of the first things to look for is the overall reputatoin of a company you want to deal with. First of all, head over to most famous forex trading forums and check whether your chosen broker in Vietnam has got good reputation. You will have to figure it out on your own, simply by reading many threads, where people discuss the company they trade with right now.

“In case you find a brokerage that seems to be inserious leave it! Do not put all your money in it, under no circumstances !”

Trading Costs

Most forex brokers don’t charge any trading fees or commissions. Instead, they charge a ‘spread’. This is the difference between the bid and ask price. They add the spread onto the price of the trade and keep this as their fee for your trade. Spreads can vary greatly between brokers.

It’s important to understand how these things are calculated, as you may find that the bid/ask price represents a spread that is higher than other brokers may charge and could impact your profitability.

You could also find that the type of forex trading account or online forex account you choose can impact the trading costs associated with trading. This means some brokers will charge a much lower spread for high-volume traders and charge a higher spread for those traders who place trades less frequently.

Spreads

Even though you might think one single pip (or point of currency value) might not look like much, consider trading on a 5 pip spread instead of a 4 pip spread. One tiny pip worth of currency value looks so incredibly small. Yet it still could represent a 25% on your overall trading costs.

When you multiply this amount by the amount of high leverage available through most forex trading accounts, those tiny pips suddenly multiply into vast amounts of money. This is especially true with leverage available of ratios up to 200:1.

Demo Account

Before signing up for a forex trading account, be sure you have access to a demo version. This can allow you to see how the spreads are calculated, how the platform works and what kind of analytical information is available on your online forex account. For instance ETORO broker and Plus500 broker are very popular among vietnamesse traders.

You also have the opportunity to place trades within your demo account that can show you how quickly each trade is facilitated and executed. You’ll be more aware if that particular forex account is the right one for you before you commit any of your own money into the deals.

Trade Sizes

There are plenty of forex accounts that accept standard sized trades, but if you’re a little more cautious about how much of your own money you want to spend, you might consider opting for a micro trading account or even a mini trading account.

These can allow you to place trades for significantly smaller amounts, which can limit the amount of capital you expose during each trade. You will also find that the amount of deposit needed to begin trading is also substantially lower, ranging from just $25 to get started up to around $200. These types of online forex accounts can be an excellent way to get a feel for forex trading.