Opera

Opera launches security tools to protect users against malicious Web3 actors

The browser also features the ability to enable HTTPS everywhere, bringing an extra layer of protection and making sure the websites people visit use proper encryption protocols.

Web3 browser Opera has announced a new set of security tools intended to help its users mitigate common risks associated with malicious actors in the Web3 ecosystem.

The new set of security tools called Web3 Guard is a suite of browser security features that promises to protect users against malicious decentralized applications (DApps), seed phrase phishing attacks and malicious actors.

The security tool scans for known security risks associated with DApps, such as suspicious code, security vulnerability and audit history. This helps users to get a better insight into the DApp they are planning to browse and alerts them in case any of the mentioned vulnerabilities are found.

The built-in security tools would also check for any seed phrase phishing attacks by scanning web pages for telltale signs of exploit, such as common phishing keywords and properties, without compromising users’ privacy or personal data. Danny Yao, senior product manager of crypto at Opera told Cointelegraph:

“Currently, Web3 Guard provides warnings and information to users so that they are not only aware of the potential risks in the moment, but also gradually become more familiar with the types of dangers specific to Web3. “

The crypto browser’s new security tools also introduce a malicious address checker that screens recipient addresses against a list of known malicious agents and warns users if suspicious activity is detected. Additionally, the browser has the option to enable HTTPS everywhere, adding an extra layer of security and guaranteeing that the websites users visit employ reliable encryption techniques.

In the first week of December, the browser introduced a new nonfungible token (NFT) feature on the platform allowing users to explore the vast NFT ecosystem through their browser.

The popular crypto browser that gained popularity for offering its native token to users for exploring the web through its platform has become a key point of Web3 interaction. The browser has an integrated wallet and support for many cryptos and Web3 ecosystems

Opera browser integrates Elrond blockchain services to bolster Web3 adoption

Elrond is one of the first carbon-negative blockchains in Europe, and its integration with Opera will help millions of new users to access the Web3 ecosystem.

Web3 crypto browser Opera announced plans to integrate Elrond blockchain services for over 300 million users. The integration would help Opera users directly access a host of decentralized applications (DApps) and other popular services through the integrated Opera wallet.

Elrond is a scalable blockchain network that offers various infrastructure services for DApps, enterprise use cases and the new internet economy. The blockchain’s adaptive state sharding makes it one of the fastest and more efficient networks.

With the integration, Opera users will have access to the Elrond Standard Digital Token (ESDT), a native token issuance standard, in addition to the native EGLD tokens, making it a great entry point for Web3. Users will be able to take part without relying on a third-party wallet, ensuring seamless transactions and added security.

In an exclusive conversation with Cointelegraph, Danny Yao, senior product manager at Opera, said that the company is actively pursuing a multichain policy, having integrated Ethereum, Bitcoin, Polygon, and BNB Chain earlier. He explained:

“Our aim is to be an understandable and secure entry point to Web3 for anyone interested in crypto. This also means we have provided a wallet selector feature that lets our users choose which wallet they want to use to interact with a particular DApp.”

Opera browser offers an integrated noncustodial crypto wallet, making it an apt entry point for millions of users that can access multiple blockchain ecosystems from this single entry point.

Talking about the growing security vulnerabilities among DApps and how Opera is mitigating those risks, Yao explained:

“We have provided a wallet selector feature that lets our users choose which wallet they want to use to interact with a particular DApp. We also have a secure clipboard, safeguarding our user’s data as they copy-paste sensitive data such as wallet addresses or bank account numbers.”

Elrond blockchain is one of the first European carbon-negative blockchains, ensuring Opera users will have access to eco-friendly solutions. With a growing focus on environmental, social and governance concerns in the crypto ecosystem, the partnership between the two Web3 platforms could set a precedent for similar integrations in the future.

NFT micro-philanthropy gives a new voice to the opera

An opera-centric DAO is using NFTs to open up new funding avenues to classical musicians outside of the limiting legacy institutions.

The music industry has been a major adopter of Web3 integration, with use cases ranging from song rights to blockchain-based streaming to new forms of digital releases.

Genres like pop, EDM and hip hop have represented nonfungible tokens (NFTs) in the music industry so far. However, classical music, and specifically opera, just found its entrance.

Living Opera, a Web3 community that combines classical music with blockchain innovation, is turning to the emerging technology to give a new voice to the prestigious art and the artists who perform it.

Soula Parassidis, CEO of Living Opera, told Cointelegraph in an interview that the premiere Magic Mozart NFT collection is a way of introducing the innovative world of fintech to the traditional one of classical music and vice versa.

“We wanted it to be easy to understand, low risk, and a way for people to feel comfortable.”

Parassidis explains that these NFTs pay tribute to the concept of the “musikalisches würfelspiele,” a dice game to randomly generate music from precomposed options. This is one of the earliest examples of generative art and is allegedly attributed to Mozart.

Musicians have used NFTs for extra revenues and fan incentives, like Grimes’ $5.8 million digital asset project. For classical music, this could mean a completely new life and a step into relevancy for the next generation.

A survey from the National Endowment for the Arts found that the percentage of adults in the United States who attend at least one opera a year dropped from an already low 3.2% in 2002 to 2.2% in 2017.

The pandemic escalated this by shuttering classical venues and opera houses all over the world. One of the world’s premiere opera houses, the Metropolitan Opera, reported that in July 2021 it was down $25 million in revenue from the previous year.

Christos Makridis, chief operating off of Living Opera, told Cointelegraph that NFTs open a new way for classical artists and opera singers to bypass the traditional proposal process for grants and endowments.

“Blockchain-based digital assets remove traditional barriers, the proposals, artist grants, etc. so that artists can connect directly with philanthropists and remove a lot of that administrative expenses.”

Makridis says that NFTs give artists in this genre access to “short-term liquidity” that had no existed before.

Some classical artists have dabbled in personal NFTs, such as New Zealand composer Matthew Thomas Soong or American composer poser Cristina Spinei.

In 2021, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra was one of the earliest pioneers of classical music NFTs. The orchestra released an NFT as a fundraiser for musicians affected by the Met Opera’s pandemic-related paycheck suspension.

The DAO-like structure of Living Opera opens up micro-philanthropy for artists involved and their projects. Parassidis highlighted the rarity of such innovation in a very traditional industry and called NFTs a catalyst for socio-cultural change.

“They can be used as a mechanism to draw attention to voices, art forms, causes that really need more visibility.”

Both Parassidis and Makridis say this technology can help excite young people to engage with the art form and allow long-term fans new engagement possibilities.

Opera Crypto Browser integrates Coin98 to bolster Web3 accessibility in Southeast Asia

Opera’s Crypto Browser will allow users to access Coin98’s collection of multichain NFTs, DEXs, cross-chain bridges, asset swaps and the ability to stake and lend their crypto.

Opera Crypto Browser, a Web3-focused project for facilitating navigation across decentralized applications (DApps), games and metaverse platforms, has announced a partnership with Coin98, a Southeast Asia-based decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, to bolster Web3 accessibility.

Following the integration of Coin98, users of Opera’s Crypto Browser will be able to tap into the platform’s range of multichain nonfungible tokens (NFTs), decentralized exchanges (DEXs), cross-chain bridges and asset swaps as well as the ability to stake and lend their cryptocurrency portfolios, as per a Thursday announcement.

With Southeast Asia’s reputation as an online technology hotspot — with the world’s largest number of internet users — and a region with a burgeoning young population and increasingly active crypto community, the collaboration is poised to bring Opera’s Crypto Browser one step closer to its objective of promoting mass cryptocurrency and Web3 adoption. Commenting on the development, Susie Batt, crypto ecosystem lead at Opera said:

“With over 340 million users worldwide, it is critical that we encourage mainstream adoption by supplying products and services that everyone can use.”

Opera has been a prominent figure in the cryptocurrency industry for some time, and it was the first major browser to accept Bitcoin (BTC) payments in 2019. In January 2022, Opera launched the Crypto Browser project, a Web3-oriented initiative for making it easier to discover DApps, games and metaverse platforms.

As part of the project, the browser expanded blockchain support for around nine major blockchain networks including Bitcoin, Solana (SOL), Polygon (MATIC), StarkEx, Ronin, Celo, Nervos Network, and BNB chain. Earlier this year, Opera partnered with Yat, a service that enables the creation of emojified web addresses or URLs.