On September 19, a series of high-profile incidents in the crypto world exposed ongoing security vulnerabilities. Decentraland’s official Twitter account, linked to the MANA coin project, was hacked, while Ethena Labs reported the theft of its domain registration account. On the same day, it was discovered that the seventh tranche of stolen funds from Indian crypto exchange WazirX was being laundered through Tornado Cash. Additionally, Cencora Inc. was forced to pay $75 million in ransom following a massive cyber attack. These events highlight the critical importance of cybersecurity in the crypto industry.
MANA Coin Project Hit by Twitter Account Hack
On September 19, Decentraland’s official X (formerly Twitter) account was hacked, and a fake airdrop link was posted. This posed a major risk to users, who could have been lured into participating in a fraudulent campaign. Decentraland, the team behind MANA, quickly warned its users to protect their personal information and assets.
I think it’s a bad look when a large publicly traded company like Cencora does not share the BTC transactions for the $75M payment to Dark Angels ransomeware group so I will just post it for them.
296.5 BTC – Mar 7, 2024 at 10:04 pm UTC… https://t.co/24n3J2ubSh pic.twitter.com/aXEx3kHVxz
— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) September 18, 2024
Ethena Labs’ Domain Registration Account Stolen
On the same day, Ethena Labs announced that its domain registration account had been compromised. As a result, the company temporarily deactivated its official website. However, Ethena assured users that neither the protocol nor user funds were affected by this breach. They issued a strong warning to avoid interacting with fake websites posing as Ethena.
WazirX Hackers Launder Funds, Cencora Pays $75 Million in Ransom
Meanwhile, blockchain security firm Paidun revealed that the seventh tranche of stolen funds from the WazirX hack, amounting to 5,000 ETH (around $12 million), had been transferred to a new address and laundered through Tornado Cash, a crypto mixer that anonymizes transactions. This incident underscores the persistent security gaps in crypto exchanges and the need for stronger protection measures.
At the same time, renowned crypto researcher ZachXBT shed light on a massive ransomware attack on pharmaceutical giant Cencora Inc. The company was forced to pay 1,091.5 Bitcoin ($75 million) as ransom, setting a new record for the largest ransom payment in history. The attackers initially demanded $150 million, but negotiations brought the final payment down to $75 million. The payments were made across three different Bitcoin wallets between March 7 and 8, 2024.
Cencora’s silence on the incident has sparked significant criticism within the crypto community, leading to speculation that the full extent of the attack may still be hidden.
Conclusion: Cybersecurity Risks in the Crypto World
The events of September 19 demonstrate the ongoing challenges that crypto platforms face in securing their assets and infrastructure. From social media hacks to ransomware attacks, these incidents serve as a reminder of the ever-present security threats in the digital asset space. As the crypto world evolves, platforms and users alike must remain vigilant and adopt stronger security measures to safeguard their investments.
