Billionaire entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was hacked for $870,000 in cryptocurrency on Friday. The hack was first spotted by blockchain sleuth WazzCrypto, who noticed suspicious activity in Cuban's wallet on EtherScan.
Cuban confirmed the hack to DL News, saying that he believes he downloaded a fake version of the MetaMask cryptocurrency wallet. He said he had searched for Circle, the company that operates the USD Coin stablecoin, on Google, but instead ended up downloading a malicious version of MetaMask.
"I went on MetaMask for the first time in months. They must have been watching," Cuban told DL News.
Cuban lost 10 different cryptocurrencies in the hack, including Ether, stablecoins, and various tokens. He said he was able to transfer the remaining funds in his wallet to Coinbase using a security dongle.
Cuban is a well-known investor in cryptocurrency and decentralized finance (DeFi). In the past, he has been a vocal supporter of MetaMask, but the recent hack has made him more cautious.
"I think MetaMask is a great product, but I'm going to be more careful about where I download it from now on," he said.
The hack is a reminder of the risks associated with cryptocurrency investing. Crypto wallets are a prime target for hackers, and it is important to take steps to protect your funds. Here are some tips:
Only download cryptocurrency wallets from trusted sources.
Never give out your private keys or seed phrases to anyone.
Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication on all of your accounts.
Be careful about clicking on links in emails or social media posts.
If you suspect that your crypto wallet has been hacked, take immediate action to transfer your funds to a secure wallet. You should also report the hack to the cryptocurrency exchange or wallet provider that you are using.
