Crypto Hacks This Week: Pudgy Penguins Phishing Scam Leads the Pack
Sohrab Khawas28 Dec 20242 min read
The crypto world stays to be the area of new discoveries on one hand, and hackers on the other. The major happenings for the current week were the creativity of hackers in hacking and the weak spots still existing in the ecosystem. Below, is a close-up view of the hacker attacks this week.
Fraudsters in Pig Butchering Scams Defraud Victims of $3.6 Billion.
In 2024, Pig Butchering scams took over $3.6 billion and are one of the most dangerous threats to crypto users. These elaborate schemes establish a foundation of trust, finally leading to the victims being manipulated into investing in fake crypto investment platforms. In total, there were 800,000 fake transactions made to over 150,000 Ethereum wallets.
Phishing Ads con NFT users of Pudgy Penguins
With a new phishing technique, fraudsters launched Google ads to trick Pudgy Penguins NFT project members into handing over their wallet information to fake sites. The campaign targeted ad networks and weak Web3 front-ends. That is why ad blockers, URL checks, and separation of wallets’ actions in safe zones are advised, according to the experts.
Animoca Brands Chairman’s X Account Hacked
Hackers managed to breach Yat Siu’s X account to pump up a fictitious “ANIMOCA” token before running off after the fraud was unmasked. Mishap which was worked around the 2FA security shows vulnerability within social media platforms and the need to confirm such announcements before putting resources on any investment offers.
Crypto Miner Suffers $1MILLION Theft From Zoom Malware
A DeFi miner lost $1 million after a phishing attack that seemed like a fake Zoom app. In addition to directly stealing funds, the malware obtained credentials of wallets and private keys to boost the threat of malware-based schemes.
$500,000 Lost Through Fraudulent X Account Phishing Scams
Phishing emails which copied official letters were used to con 15 high-profile X accounts, in which attackers stole more than $500,000. Such scams made people provide their login information and 2FA codes. Security specialists advise to not re-use passwords, use hardware wallets, 2-factor authentication and confirm emails before acting on them.
Lazarus Group Allegations Strike at Hyperliquid
In the Layer-1 DeFi platform Hyperliquid, $250 million has been net outflow, after which it was accused of being hacked by North Korea’s Lazarus Group. Despite the platform’s denial of this, its token lost 20% of its value leading to discussions about the danger of centralization of validators and poor measures for security.
The events of the week show that hackers are becoming more professional and equipped as the cryptocurrency market remains weak. From phishing attacks, and social engineering tactics to malware attacks, it is extremely important to keep an eye out and avoid leaving various assets open-ended.
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