The recent run in BTC, from my perspective, was a bit insane. Exciting though it was, I don't actually regret missing out.
And given where I bought in to EOS, Dash, BCH, and a bunch of others, it would be disingenuous to suggest I've not enjoyed this ride in my own way, via other coins.
As I sat here today, going through the news, it hit me all of a sudden that as exciting as this run up has been, and will continue to be next year, it also means the stakes are exponentially greater. I have tried to find the exact same video I watched, so that I could share it here with you all today. I have yet to locate it, but will post an update as soon as I do.
Bitcoin is the modern day manifestation, and 21st century digital equivalent of Fort Knox. What that means for all of us crypto enthusiasts is that every greedy, kniving, duplicitous, malicious, c**k sucker out there, now has a free pass to do anything they can and will think of to try and infiltrate your crypto wallets.
Malware is a very real thing. And the general technological illiteracy that most people suffer from, has now become a massive financial liability. Ask yourself - do you know what the terms "client side", and "server side" mean? Do you know how they relate to scripting? Are you familiar with SQL, Javascript, or any of the other coding languages? Do you know what happens when you click on popups? Do you understand web cookies, cache, and your computer's data registry?
Did you know all of these things offer loop holes, back doors, and avenues of exploitation for bad actors to now, literally "capitalize" on?
This run is, and has been extraordinary. And the best part is, it's only just begun. Everyone here on Steemit, knows where cryptocurrency is going, and how the fiat story ends. But now is the time to take a step back, and make sure you don't become complacent and assume it's all good. The malware has only just begun. And the horror stories are likely going to come in tsunami scale waves next year.
Learn how to do cold storage.
Get a hardware wallet.
Stay off of shady websites, especially those pertaining to pornography and torrents. They are rife with malware!
Don't open emails you aren't expecting, or from sources you know for certain you can trust.
Always use Two-Factor Authentication
Get a hardware wallet.
And be careful before you try to trade against the big boys next year. The big money hasn't been able to get involved until now. But just like the Persians descended on Thermopylae, the Banks are coming for your crypto. And collectively, they have more experience, more money, and access to more strings they can pull to absolutely wreck amateurs.
Relatively speaking, it's been a party up to this point. But next year, it's gonna get very very real.