In a startling incident that has sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency sphere, cybercriminals orchestrated a bold heist by compromising Vitalik Buterin’s Twitter account, resulting in losses exceeding $690,000.
During the early hours of September 10, nefarious actors seized control of the Twitter account belonging to Ethereum’s founder, Vitalik Buterin. Subsequently, they used this compromised account to promote a fraudulent 24-hour open NFT mint, purportedly celebrating the arrival of ‘Proto-Danksharding’ on the Ethereum network. Regrettably, those who followed the link found themselves ensnared in a malicious scheme that drained their wallets.
Despite the swift response from the crypto Twitter community to raise awareness about the ongoing hack, a substantial number of Mr. Buterin’s 4.9 million followers fell victim to the audacious deception.
Notably, among the assets lost during this incident, Twitter user EvanLuthra.eth identified an iconic NFT. The stolen item was CryptoPunk #3983, which changed hands before being promptly sold for a sum of 155 ETH.
The significance of this particular NFT lies in its place in NFT history, as it is believed to represent the first publicly-claimed CryptoPunk, a milestone that required Vitalik Buterin’s involvement at the time, owing to the nascent nature of the technology.
This high-profile hack has raised serious concerns within the NFT industry and the broader crypto community, as it underscores the vulnerability of even prominent figures in the field to security breaches on legacy platforms like Twitter. It serves as a stark reminder that vigilance and enhanced security measures are imperative for all participants in the digital asset space.
