As a seasoned researcher with years of experience in the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies, I can’t help but feel a pang of familiarity when yet another wave of cyberattacks targets prominent crypto firms. This past week has been a stark reminder of the ever-present threat of phishing schemes that continue to plague our community.
During the last seven days, a number of well-known cryptocurrency companies such as Witness Chain, Polygon, Avalanche, ZkSync, and Orderly Network experienced cyberattacks. The hackers focused on their Discord communication channels from August 24th to August 30th, using phishing tactics to infiltrate these systems.
On August 30th, Witness Chain, a blockchain-focused Delegated Proof of Importance (DePIN) validation initiative, announced that their Discord channel had been infiltrated and misleading links were spread, leading to potential security concerns.
Primary collaborator Pankaj Agarwal warned fellow members through his X account, advising them to be cautious when interacting with questionable recovery procedures associated with these attacks.
Previous occurrences exhibited similar traits. The Discord channel for Polygon suffered a hack on August 24th, too, as a result of fraudulent email links.
Upon the recent security incident, I promptly recommended all users to abstain from opening any suspicious links for their safety. Regrettably, it appears that one user fell victim to these deceptive scams, losing a substantial sum of $150,000.
Following the Polygon event, subsequent assaults occurred rapidly. In just 48 hours, both the Avalanche and zkSync Discord servers were also compromised. Misleading links, as before, caused the breach.
An Avalanche community member tweeted a screenshot showing disabled chats across all channels, alongside a dubious announcement about claiming Avax tokens from the foundation. Shortly after, the zkSync channel reported a similar breach.
In my role as an analyst, I can report that the teams behind these platforms have promptly addressed the situation. They’ve effectively reclaimed control over their channels and are now focusing on fortifying security protocols to minimize the chance of similar occurrences in the future.
Furthermore, these incidents serve as a reminder that stronger security measures are essential in cryptocurrency community platforms due to the persisting issue of phishing. It also emphasizes the significance of active participation from the community and swift action by the security units of crypto firms.
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2024-08-31 21:40