Hackers Recovered $3 Million Worth Wallet Password.š
In a fascinating turn of events that could easily be part of a Hollywood movie script, a bitcoin owner found themselves locked out of their wallet containing a substantial 43.6 BTC, worth just under $3 million. The plot thickened as the owner sought help from none other than a renowned hacker named Joe Grand, also known as Kingpin in the hacking community.
The intriguing saga, first brought to light by Kim Zetter for Wired, unfolded when the wallet owner, known only as Michael, reached out to Joe Grand in 2022. Joe Grand has gained notoriety for his knack for recovering lost bitcoin from inaccessible wallets. While Grand typically declines such requests due to his primary role as a consultant helping developers secure their systems, the intricate circumstances of Michael's case caught his attention.
The issue was a complex password generated using the RoboForm password manager, encrypted with TrueCrypt. However, a twist of fate led to the encrypted password file getting corrupted with no backup in place. Michael's reluctance to store the password in RoboForm for fear of potential hacking ironically contributed to the predicament.
After meticulous months of work, Grand and his team unearthed a security flaw in an outdated version of RoboForm's password generation mechanism. By exploiting this flaw, they were able to narrow down the search to the password generated on May 15, 2013.
Despite challenges and dead ends, perseverance paid off, leading to the successful recovery of the password. The revelation sparked a significant moment for Michael, allowing access to his bitcoin reserves. Subsequently, Michael cashed out some of the bitcoin, leaving him with 30 BTC to potentially capitalize on the cryptocurrency market's fluctuations.
The tale emphasizes the importance of secure password management and highlights the remarkable skill set of individuals like Joe.
