Cryptocurrency exchange platform Hotbit has shut down all of its services after an attempted cyberattack on Thursday. “Hotbit just suffered a serious cyber-attack starting around 08:00 PM UTC, April 29, 2021, which led to the paralyzation of a number of some basic services,” a notice on the platform’s website reads. The hackers were reportedly unsuccessful in gaining access to Hotbit’s wallets but did manage to compromise the platform’s user database. Thus, the Hotbit team has advised customers to disregard any communication from entities claiming to be representatives of the exchange. With all normal operations currently paused during the ongoing maintenance, …

Decentralized finan’s rising popularity since 2019 has seen the emerging market segment become a target for hackers and opportunistic profiteers. According to a report by crypto research company Messari, DeFi protocols have lost about $284.9 million to hacks and other exploit attacks since 2019. This figure is about 0.65% of the adjusted total value locked of the Ethereum-based DeFi market, according to data from DappRadar. In February Messari calculated that over $284 million in DeFi was lost to hacks since 2019 At this point in time, the decentralized insurance industry only covers a fraction of TVL in DeFi. The need …

The $50 million exploit of Uranium Finance, a decentralized finance protocol on Binance Smart Chain, may have been an inside job, according to a member of the project’s development team. The theory was put forward in Uranium Finance’s Telegram channel by a user named “Baymax,” who appears to be listed as an administrator. In a pinned post, Baymax explained that the security flaw leading to the exploit happened just two hours before version 2 of the protocol was launched. The suspicious timing of the exploit narrows down the list of potential perpetrators significantly. Baymax explained: “There are a total of …

There has been a lot of talk about the recent “hacks” in the decentralized finance realm, particularly in the cases of Harvest FInance and Pickle Finance. That talk is more than necessary, considering hackers stole more than $100 million from DeFi projects in 2020, accounting for 50% of all hacks this year, according to a CipherTrace report. Related: Roundup of crypto hacks, exploits and heists in 2020 Some point out that the occurrences were merely exploits that shined a light on the vulnerabilities of the respective smart contracts. The thieves didn’t really break into anything, they just happened to casually …

Former Department of Homeland Security official Christopher Krebs called for greater governmental oversight of cryptocurrency in an interview yesterday, saying that anonymous payments are a threat “the average American is concerned about.” In an interview on Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher asked the former U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency director about his thoughts on Bitcoin. “What’s gonna happen with Bitcoin? Where do you see that going? That’s in sort of your area, I see it bringing down civilization, but maybe I’m being anti-intellectual,” said Maher. “Cryptocurrency is, as I see it, is one of the single enabling factors …

The radical opportunity presented by decentralized finance has garnered significant attention from investors and speculators alike. The total value locked in DeFi protocols grew over 2,500% in 2020, from around $700 million in January 2020 to over $20 billion in December 2020. TVL is a more useful metric than market capitalization when it comes to DeFi, as it accurately represents the equity that investors are willing to commit to these protocols. And their commitment didn’t end in 2020; this year alone, DeFi’s TVL more than doubled, reaching $40 billion in February. Related: Was 2020 a ‘DeFi year,’ and what is …

On Wednesday, the United States Department of Justice announced charges against three North Korean hacker. Making the announcement, Assistant Attorney General John Demers condemned the North Korean program, the most famous branch of which is Lazarus Group. Demers said: "North Korea’s operatives, using keyboards rather than guns, stealing digital wallets of cryptocurrency instead of sacks of cash, are the world’s leading bank robbers." With a country largely sequestered from the international economy, North Korea's hacking program has been a critical source of revenue. Many have linked hacking income from sources like the WannaCry malware and crypto exchange Coincheck with the …

Users of Indian crypto exchange BuyUCoin have reportedly been affected by a breach compromising personal data of more than 325,000 people. According to a report from Indian news outlet Inc42, a hacking group by the name of ShinyHunters leaked a database containing the names, phone numbers, email addresses, tax identification numbers and bank account details of more than 325,000 BuyUCoin users. However, a later report from Bleeping Computer shows the leaked data may only contain information from 161,487 BuyUCoin members. Cybersecurity researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia posted screenshots of the leaked data — recorded until September 2020 — to Twitter last week, …

Researchers wishing to apply to New York-based Red Balloon Security have to complete an unusual technical interview as part of their application process: unlocking a hard drive containing crypto. According to a report from Business Insider, Red Balloon sends the hard drives to certain candidates for cybersecurity research positions at the firm. Anyone who has the “the skills and passion” to crack the encryption would be able to claim 0.1337 Bitcoin (BTC), or roughly $4,800 at the time of publication. Applicants who are able to access the coins are told to purchase a ticket to New York City for the …

Huobi Korea, the South Korean arm of the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has been certified by a major regulator. According to an announcement on Jan. 18, the Korea Internet and Security Agency, or KISA, has granted Huobi Korea an information security management system, or ISMS, certification. The ISMS certification will provide Huobi Korea with a comprehensive management system to ensure security and compliance with the Special Payment Act — new legislation requiring local crypto businesses to report transactions in line with revised Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering policies. Specifically, exchanges must report the real names of …

Ledger users are receiving threatening emails in the wake of the hardware wallet manufacturer reporting that 20,000 more of its customers have been affected by another massive data breach. One or more extortionists using the names Darrin Burlew and Denni Hornig have reportedly sent emails to users who say their personal information was released as a result of the data breach at Ledger in June and July of last year. Reddit user Crypthomie, a former flight attendant based in the United Arab Emirates, said his Ledger owning father received a message today. The email included his name, home address, and …

Russia’s central bank digital currency, or CBDC, could contain a number of risks related to cybersecurity and fraud, according to several local financial institutions. The Association of Russian Banks, or ARB, has released its official feedback on Russia’s digital ruble project on Jan. 13. The study included 17 ABR credit institutions in Russia accounting for 58% of the total assets of the domestic banking system. According to the report, the majority of ARB members believe that risks associated with the digital ruble are similar to those of cashless transactions powered by banking accounts and cards, as well as cryptocurrencies. The …