The freeze comes shortly after Terra’s website was compromised over the weekend by hackers who attempted to scam users via phishing attacks.
Blockchain Capital’s X account hacked promoting token claim scam
The account has made multiple posts promising a token giveaway and ushers users to a copycat website to connect their crypto wallet.
Zero transfer scammer steals $20M USDT, gets blacklisted by Tether
Zero transfer scams are becoming prominent in the crypto ecosystem, with over $40 million stolen in 2023.
Pink, Pussy, Venom, Inferno — Drainers coming for a crypto wallet near you
Crypto wallet drainers, or sweepers, are malicious smart contracts that can quickly empty a crypto wallet of its funds and are a standard tool for phishing scammers.
‘Scammers’ impersonate Crypto Twitter users on Threads as users near 100M
Threads are already seeing potential crypto scammers arrive on the platform as Crypto Twitter personas warn of impersonators on the app.
Multichain attack triggers Twitter phishing scheme for FTM distribution
A phishing link was included in the tweet and shared with the affected users of the hack, leading them to believe it was associated with the Fantom Foundation.
This Is How Scammers Can Drain Your Crypto Wallet
Scammers use a variety of techniques to steal users’ money, some of which only require knowing your wallet address, a Forta Network researcher said.
The Sandbox CEO’s Twitter was hacked, used to promote alleged ‘airdrop’ scam
The executive appears to have now recovered his account.
‘Inferno Drainer’ scam as a service has stolen $5.9M since March: Report
The service provides code to scammers that allows them to drain wallets using token approval phishing methods
US Prosecutes Russian Hacker For Orchestrating $200 Million Crypto-Ransomware Attacks
In a significant development revealing the ever-looming threat of cybercrime, the US Department of Justice has recently leveled charges against a Russian hacker for his alleged involvement in a nefarious crypto-ransomware conspiracy targeting critical US infrastructure.
The gravity of the situation was highlighted as the DOJ, in a press release dated May 16, announced the unsealing of two indictments against this individual, shedding light on the intricate web of criminal activities that have the potential to disrupt vital systems and compromise national security.
Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, who is known by various aliases such as m1x, Wazawaka, Uhodiransomwar, and Boriselcin, was identified as the accused individual after the unsealed charges made his identity public.
A Multi-Faceted Attack
According to a press release from the DOJ, Matveev’s attack was directed against a variety of targets across the US mainland, including law enforcement organizations in New Jersey and Washington, DC, as well as the healthcare industry and a number of other fields worldwide.
Federal officials announced a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Matveev on Tuesday.
According to court documents, federal officials have charged Matveev with conspiring to transmit ransom demands, conspiring to damage protected computers, and intentionally damaging protected computers.
He faces more than 20 years behind bars if found guilty of his crimes.
Russian Hacker Makes Easy $200 Million
Ransomware variations of LockBit, Babuk, and Hive were used in the attack, which dates all the way back to 2020. According to reports, Matveev demanded up to $400 million and seized $200 million.
James E. Dennehy, FBI-Newark special agent in charge, said:
“These malicious actors believe they can operate with impunity – and don’t fear getting caught because they sit in a country where they feel safe and protected. That may be the case now, but the safe harbor may not exist forever.”
In quotes by USAToday and published on Yahoo! News, Dennehy added that when they have an opportunity, they will do “everything in our power to bring Matveev and his ilk to justice.”
The Russian hacker allegedly launched global attacks on hospitals, government organizations, and other targets using several ransomware variants from his base of operations in Russia.
“These international crimes demand a coordinated response. We will not relent in imposing consequences on the most egregious actors in the cybercrime ecosystem,” Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the DOJ Criminal Division, said of Matveev.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has listed Matveev as one of the most wanted cybercriminals. The FBI describes Matveev’s connections to Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg, Russia, and asks people all over the world to be on the lookout for his distinctive physical features, including four fingers on his left hand and a tattoo sleeve on his right arm.
Coordinated Effort Needed To Defend Key Infra
The charges brought against Matveev mark a step forward in the process of holding accountable those who are responsible for disrupting key infrastructure, as law enforcement agencies continue their fight against cyber threats on a global scale.
In 2022, there were 23% fewer ransomware attacks than the year before. It is predicted that there were 236.1 million ransomware assaults worldwide in the first six months of 2022, data by AAG IT shows.
The need for joint effort to defend the digital landscape and susceptible institutions from the potentially devastating impacts of cyberattacks is highlighted by the requirement for international cooperation to combat these crimes.
-Featured image from Telangana Today
Serial Phishing Scammer Uses a Mix of Laundering Techniques, Including Coin Swaps and a Mysterious OTC
Attacker behind a fake HitBTC website might have stolen $15M worth of crypto from multiple scams and phishing attacks
Google Ads data: $4M stolen through crypto phishing URLs
Unsuspecting cryptocurrency users have lost over $4 million to phishing websites promoted using Google Ads.
Crypto phishing attacks up by 40% in one year: Kaspersky
Russian cybersecurity and anti-virus provider Kaspersky detected 5,040,520 crypto phishing attacks in the year as compared to 3,596,437 in 2021.
Arbitrum Discord hacker shares phishing announcement amid airdrop hype
The phishing message on Discord offered “the opportunity to re-claim an additional stake in Arbitrum DAO Governance” while citing issues during the initial token claim drive.
Visa: Token bridges were a favored target for thieves in 2022
The fraudsters would normally exploit the smart contracts to allow for the approval of unauthorized transactions.
OpenSea patches vulnerability that potentially exposed users’ identities
Cybersecurity firm Imperva found a vulnerability that could be used to leak user information such as email addresses and phone numbers, which has now been patched.
Binance launches anti-scam campaign after Hong Kong pilot run
The new campaign features a withdrawal warning message that attempts to prevent users from sending their crypto to scammers.
Scam alert: Trezor warns users of new phishing attack
The new active phishing attack is trying to steal Trezor users’ crypto by tricking investors into entering their recovery phrase on a fake Trezor site.
Blockchain Game The Sandbox Warns of Phishing Email After Security Breach
An unauthorized third party had gained access to a Sandbox employee’s computer and used it to send a false email to users.
MyAlgo users urged to withdraw as cause of $9.2M hack remains unknown
The Algorand wallet provider said it still hasn’t determined the cause of the attack, urging users to withdraw funds from wallets created with a seed phrase.