On September 19, important events in the crypto world once again drew attention to the security gaps of the sector. While the official Twitter account of Decentraland, the popular metaverse platform and the MANA coin project, was compromised, Ethena Labs also announced that its domain name registration account was stolen. On the same day, the seventh tranche of hacked funds of India-based cryptocurrency exchange WazirX began to be laundered through Tornado Cash. In addition, a major cyberattack case in which Cencora Inc. was forced to pay a ransom of $75 million was also revealed in detail. These events reveal how important cybersecurity is in the crypto world.
Hack on Decentraland’s X account, the popular metaverse platform, the MANA coin project
On September 19, a fake airdrop link was shared on suspicion that the official Twitter account of Decentraland, the popular metaverse platform, had been compromised. This increased the risk of many users being potentially drawn into a fake campaign. Decentraland, the company behind the MANA coin project, warned its users to protect their personal information and assets.
Such incidents remind crypto users to be careful. The hacking of social media accounts can lead to major losses, especially on high-volume platforms. Fake airdrop links pose a serious threat to users’ private keys. The best way to protect yourself from such attacks is to always check the accuracy of official announcements and links and avoid suspicious content.
Ethena Labs’ domain name registration account was stolen
Again, on September 19, Ethena Labs announced on its social media accounts that its domain name registration account was stolen. The company temporarily disabled its official website in response. However, Ethena stated that the protocol and user funds were not affected by this incident. It warned users not to interact with fake sites that appear to be Ethena’s official website or application.
This incident once again shows that crypto platforms must protect not only their crypto assets, but also the digital infrastructure they use to provide services. The hacking of domain name registrations allows fraudsters to create fake sites. This allows it to deceive users and seize their funds. Ethena’s rapid action prevents possible damage. However, it does not change the fact that users should be careful.
WazirX hacker takes action, Cencora Inc. pays ransom
On the other hand, according to a statement made by blockchain security firm Paidun on September 19, the seventh batch of hacked funds of India-based cryptocurrency exchange WazirX, 5,000 ETH (approximately $ 12 million), was transferred to a new address. It is determined that these funds were laundered through Tornado Cash. Tornado Cash is a cryptocurrency mixer used to provide anonymity. Such platforms are used to hide the source of the funds and can help fraudsters launder stolen assets. This attack on WazirX shows that security gaps continue in the crypto world. It also shows once again that exchanges need to take stronger measures.
Finally, the famous crypto researcher ZachXBT attracted attention with a tweet. Because it revealed that the pharmaceutical giant Cencora Inc. was subjected to a massive ransom attack. The company was forced to pay a ransom of 1,091.5 Bitcoin (worth $75 million). This incident even eclipsed the $40 million ransom payment made by CNA Financial Corp. in 2021. Thus, it was recorded as the largest ransom payment in history. According to ZachXBT’s research, the attackers initially demanded $150 million from Cencora. However, the payment was reduced to $75 million after negotiations.
The payments were sent to three different Bitcoin wallets on March 7 and 8, 2024. Cencora, on the other hand, preferred not to make a public statement about the attack. This situation caused serious criticism in the crypto community. The company’s silence has led to speculation that the full extent of the attack is being concealed.
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