🛑Important

Things you must be aware of when using ARTSNL

ARTSNL is not bulletproof, use wisely

Not your keys, not your coins

"Not your keys, not your crypto" is a fundamental concept in the cryptocurrency space that emphasizes the importance of owning and controlling your private keys as a means of maintaining ownership and control over your digital assets.

In traditional finance, individuals often store their funds in banks, which act as custodians and hold the funds on behalf of the account holders. Similarly, in the cryptocurrency world, many people use cryptocurrency exchanges or third-party services to store their digital assets. However, when you store your cryptocurrencies on an exchange or any platform where you don't control the private keys, you are essentially entrusting someone else with the security and custody of your funds.

The phrase "not your keys, not your crypto" means that if you don't have direct ownership and control over the private keys associated with your cryptocurrencies, you don't have full ownership or control over those assets. Private keys are cryptographic keys that enable you to access and spend your cryptocurrencies. Whoever possesses the private keys has control over the associated funds.

Here's what the concept highlights:

1. Security Risk: When your private keys are held by a third party, such as an exchange, there's a risk that the exchange could be hacked, go offline, or face regulatory issues. In such cases, you might lose access to your funds.

2. Custodial vs. Non-Custodial: Custodial services like exchanges hold private keys on behalf of users. Non-custodial wallets, on the other hand, give you full control over your private keys, allowing you to truly own and manage your assets.

3. Decentralization: The essence of cryptocurrency is decentralization and the ability for individuals to have full control over their finances. "Not your keys, not your crypto" aligns with the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies.

4. Responsibility: While owning your private keys gives you more control, it also comes with the responsibility of securing those keys. Losing your private keys could mean losing access to your funds permanently.

To adhere to the principle of "not your keys, not your crypto," consider using non-custodial wallets (software or hardware wallets) that allow you to generate and control your private keys. This approach ensures that you are the sole owner of your cryptocurrencies and minimizes the risk of losing your funds due to third-party vulnerabilities. However, it's essential to follow best practices for wallet security, such as creating backups and safeguarding your private keys and seed phrases.

Practice wallet diversification

Diversifying your cryptocurrency holdings across multiple wallets is a recommended practice for several important reasons:

1. Security: Putting all your cryptocurrencies in a single wallet increases the risk of a single point of failure. If that wallet is compromised, you could potentially lose all your assets. By using multiple wallets, you reduce the impact of a security breach on your entire portfolio.

2. Mitigating Risks: Different wallets have different levels of security and vulnerabilities. Using a combination of hardware wallets, software wallets, and paper wallets can help you mitigate the risks associated with specific wallet types.

3. Types of Holdings: You might have various types of cryptocurrencies with different use cases and purposes. Keeping them in separate wallets can help you organize and manage your holdings more effectively.

4. Protection against Loss: If you lose access to one wallet due to hardware failure, loss of the wallet device, or any other reason, having cryptocurrencies stored in other wallets ensures you don't lose all your assets.

5. Transaction Privacy: Using different wallets can help maintain your transaction privacy. If all your holdings are in a single wallet, transactions can be easily traced, potentially compromising your financial privacy.

6. Accessibility: Different wallets might offer various ways to access your cryptocurrencies. Some wallets might have mobile apps, while others might offer web or desktop interfaces. Having multiple options can be helpful, especially if you need to access your funds in different situations.

7. Distribution of Risk: Just as you would diversify your investments in traditional finance, diversifying your cryptocurrencies reduces the impact of a major loss on your overall financial situation.

8. Ease of Management: If you're actively using cryptocurrencies for different purposes (trading, saving, spending), separating them into different wallets can help you manage your holdings more efficiently.

9. Avoiding Over-Reliance: Relying solely on one wallet or exchange exposes you to their operational risks and potential downtime.

However, while diversification is a good practice, it's important to strike a balance. Managing too many wallets could become cumbersome and increase the likelihood of losing access to some of them. Make sure to implement proper security measures for each wallet, including securely storing backup seed phrases and private keys.

Ultimately, your approach to wallet diversification should be based on your risk tolerance, the amount of cryptocurrency you hold, and your comfort level with managing multiple wallets.

Avoid scams!

Avoiding clicking on scams online is crucial to protect your personal information, finances, and digital security. Scams come in various forms, from phishing emails to fraudulent websites, and they often aim to deceive you into revealing sensitive information or sending money. Here's why you should steer clear of clicking on scams:

1. Identity Theft: Scammers may use deceptive websites or emails to trick you into revealing personal information such as passwords, social security numbers, or credit card details. This information can be used for identity theft, causing serious financial and personal harm.

2. Financial Loss: Many online scams are designed to steal your money directly. Scammers might promise quick riches, investment opportunities, or prize winnings, only to disappear once they've received your funds.

3. Malware and Viruses: Clicking on links in phishing emails or visiting fraudulent websites can lead to the installation of malware or viruses on your device. These malicious programs can steal your personal data, monitor your online activities, and damage your system.

4. Ransomware: Some scams involve ransomware, which encrypts your files and demands payment to unlock them. Paying the ransom doesn't guarantee that your files will be restored, and it encourages further criminal activity.

5. Phishing: Scammers often create fake websites and emails that mimic legitimate ones, aiming to steal your login credentials or other sensitive information. Clicking on these links can inadvertently provide scammers with your data.

6. Privacy Invasion: Clicking on certain scam links could lead to your device being infected with spyware or keyloggers that capture your online activities, including passwords and sensitive data.

7. Social Engineering: Scammers might employ psychological tactics to manipulate you into taking actions you wouldn't normally consider. They may exploit fear, urgency, or curiosity to make you click on links or provide information.

8. Data Breaches: Some scams involve tricking you into revealing account credentials, which could then be used to gain unauthorized access to your accounts or even lead to larger-scale data breaches.

9. Reputation Damage: Falling for scams could lead to your personal information being used for fraudulent activities that damage your reputation and credibility.

10. Loss of Control: Clicking on scam links or providing personal information might lead to loss of control over your online accounts, financial transactions, and even your digital identity.

To protect yourself from online scams:

• Be Skeptical: Always be cautious of unsolicited communications and offers that seem too good to be true.

• Verify Sources: Double-check URLs, email addresses, and sender details before clicking on links or providing information.

• Use Security Software: Maintain up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware software to protect your devices.

• Educate Yourself: Stay informed about common online scams and the latest tactics scammers use.

• Keep Software Updated: Regularly update your operating system, browsers, and applications to patch vulnerabilities.

• Trust Your Instincts: If something feels off or suspicious, it's better to err on the side of caution and avoid engaging with the content.

• Report Suspicious Activity: Report scams to relevant authorities or organizations, such as anti-phishing agencies or consumer protection agencies.

By remaining vigilant and practicing online safety, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to online scams.

Battle test our code!

Auditing open-source code involves reviewing and analyzing the source code of a software project that is publicly available and developed collaboratively by a community of developers. The goal of code auditing is to assess the quality, security, and overall reliability of the software by identifying potential vulnerabilities, bugs, or other issues.

Here's how the process of auditing open-source code generally works:

1. Accessing the Code: Open-source software is available to the public, typically hosted on platforms like GitHub. Anyone can access the source code, review it, and contribute to its development.

2. Code Review: Auditors, who can be individuals, teams, or even automated tools, examine the code line by line. They assess the logic, structure, and implementation details of the software.

3. Security Analysis: One of the main focuses of code auditing is identifying security vulnerabilities. Auditors look for coding practices that could potentially lead to vulnerabilities like buffer overflows, injection attacks, or weak encryption.

4. Best Practices: Auditors evaluate whether the code follows best practices for software development, adheres to coding standards, and uses proper documentation.

5. Bug Identification: Auditors search for programming errors, logic flaws, or bugs that could lead to software malfunctions or unexpected behavior.

6. Performance and Efficiency: Auditors analyze the code for areas where improvements can be made to enhance the software's performance and efficiency.

7. Compatibility: Code auditing also involves checking if the software is compatible with various platforms, operating systems, and configurations.

8. License Compliance: Auditors ensure that the open-source code adheres to the licensing terms under which it's released. This includes checking for any code that may have been included without the proper permissions.

9. Code Documentation: Auditors assess the quality and completeness of code comments and documentation. Well-documented code is easier for other developers to understand and contribute to.

10. Reporting Findings: After the audit, auditors compile a report that highlights their findings, including identified vulnerabilities, bugs, and recommended improvements.

11. Collaborative Process: Open-source projects often encourage a collaborative approach to code auditing. Developers, security experts, and the broader community can contribute to identifying and addressing issues.

12. Iterative Improvement: Code auditing is an ongoing process. As issues are identified and resolved, the software's quality and security improve over time.

Code auditing is crucial for maintaining the integrity of open-source software projects, ensuring they are safe, reliable, and functional. The transparency of open-source development allows for collective efforts to improve the software and address any weaknesses. By encouraging code auditing, open-source communities enhance the overall quality of their projects and build trust among users and contributors.