Cardano Foundation's X Account Compromised
On 8 December, the Cardano Foundation's X account was compromised by a malicious actor promoting a fake "ADAsol" token, described as "Cardano, reimagined for Solana's speed and innovation."
The initial post, removed within an hour, was followed by another false claim stating the Foundation would cease supporting ADA due to an SEC lawsuit.
The false notice read:
"In light of this unexpected legal action, we have made the difficult decision to immediately cease all support towards the $ADA token to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements."
The scam was unusually sophisticated, featuring a 13-post thread linking to legitimate Cardano resources, including the Foundation's website and a recent podcast.
When a community member questioned the post's validity, a team lead promptly responded:
"Confirmed, we're on it."
Confirmed, we’re on it. Please create awareness
— michael.ada⚡ (@michaeldotada) December 8, 2024
The Cardano Community X account clarified thereafter that Cardano Foundation's X account has been compromised.
The Cardano Foundation X account @Cardano_CF has been compromised. Please ignore any posts from the account at this time while we address this.
— Cardano Community (@Cardano) December 8, 2024
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson later verified the hack in a social media update.
Looks like the CF account got hacked. Try harder hackers https://t.co/DhT9PpgfZt
— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) December 8, 2024
Despite the quick response, the fraudulent ADAsol token managed to generate $500,000 in trading volume before crashing 99%, as traders realised it was a scam.
The incident underscores the importance of vigilance in the face of increasingly deceptive tactics.
Cardano ADA Relatively Unmoving Despite Wallowing in Red
The fabricated SEC lawsuit emerged as Cardano's token price faced downward pressure, with some duped community members perceiving it as yet another blow in a year marked by intensified regulatory scrutiny across the cryptocurrency industry.
However, the absence of specific allegations was a clear red flag, revealing the lawsuit's inauthenticity.
At first glance, the fake lawsuit appeared plausible, given the spate of legal actions targeting blockchain projects and crypto firms in 2024.
Such claims typically rattle the volatile crypto market, but the swift intervention by X's team and Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson helped mitigate potential fallout.
Despite a minor 24-hour decline of 2.1%, ADA's price held steady at $1.19, reflecting resilience in the face of the incident.
Over the past week, the token has gained 2.92%, trading close to $1.20, according to CoinMarketCap.
This stability underscores the effectiveness of a rapid and coordinated response in protecting investor confidence.
Hoskinson Hints X Security Could Be Better, Offers Free Implementation
Since Elon Musk's acquisition of X (formerly known as Twitter), concerns over the platform's security vulnerabilities have intensified.
Notable breaches, such as the compromise of the SEC's official account earlier this year, have spotlighted ongoing challenges in safeguarding user data and maintaining account integrity. https://www.sec.gov/secgov-x-account
Critics attribute these lapses to Musk's significant staff reductions, particularly within the information security team, and warn of potential long-term damage to the platform's credibility.
With X serving as a hub for government agencies, corporations, and high-profile individuals, these security failures raise critical questions about its resilience and reliability.
Adding to the scrutiny are Musk's past legal entanglements, including an SEC lawsuit regarding his influence on Dogecoin prices, further fueling perceptions of instability.
Hoskinson has echoed the concerns, calling for X to take urgent and meaningful steps to bolster its security measures, a move essential for restoring trust and ensuring the platform's future relevance.
Given that the CF account was hacked, it's a good opportunity to re-visit a change X could make that would dramatically improve security for all users https://t.co/oaThTPI5wi
I will implement it for free @elonmusk. Just light the beacon
— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) December 8, 2024
Recovery Still Underway
The fraudulent ADAsol token announcement and the fake SEC lawsuit notice have both been removed prior to this writing.
The Cardano Foundation has assured its community that it is "actively working to restore security" and confirmed that updates will be shared via its official LinkedIn page.
The statement added:
"This breach of our X account does not indicate any other platforms or systems are compromised."
There was no SEC announcement or similar things from the Foundation. @Cardano_CF is compromised. Follow @Cardano for updates on this. https://t.co/MrcLsuwSYF
— ADAtainment🐙 (@adatainment) December 8, 2024
’
In the meantime, users are urged to remain vigilant and avoid clicking on any links originating from the compromised Cardano Foundation X account until full security is restored.
