Cypher Protocol Freezes $600K Stolen Crypto Across CEXs
Cypher Protocol announced this groundbreaking achievement via a post on its official X account on Thursday.
In a recent development, Solana-based decentralized futures exchange, Cypher Protocol has successfully frozen about $600,000 worth of crypto that were stolen during a security exploit recorded on August 7th.
According to the post, over 50% of the funds stolen during the security breach have been frozen across several Centralized Exchanges (CEXs). This achievement marks a significant step forward in the battle against cybercrime within the blockchain industry and showcases the potential for blockchain networks to counteract malicious activities.
The stolen funds’ return, however, hinges on a two-pronged approach, the cooperation of the CEXs involved and the issuance of seizure warrants by law enforcement agencies. This dual requirement underscores the complexities surrounding the recovery of stolen digital assets and the jurisdictional challenges that arise in the decentralized landscape.
In its most recent statement, Cypher Protocol expressed profound gratitude to ZachXBT, an on-chain sleuth and analyst, highlighting his invaluable contributions in the initial freezing of the funds.
ZachXBT’s involvement showcases the power of collaboration and expertise. As the Decentralized Finance (DeFi) community navigates the complexities of recovering stolen assets, it’s individuals like him who lend their skills to ensure that wrongdoers are held accountable and users’ trust is restored.
Cypher Protocol Navigating Security Breach
The attack, which unfolded with alarming precision, underscores the vulnerability of even the most technologically advanced platforms. Cypher Protocol fell prey to the attackers who identified and exploited vulnerabilities within its smart contract system.
This breach granted unauthorized access to user funds, leading to a significant loss of assets. Data sourced from Solscan, a Solana blockchain explorer, paints a stark picture of the extent of the attack, a staggering 38,530 Solana (SOL) tokens and approximately $123,184 worth of USD Coin (USDC) were siphoned off.
In reaction to this severe security violation, Cypher Protocol made the difficult choice to suspend its smart contracts. This decisive measure, while disruptive to the platform’s operations, was a key step in controlling the breach and avoiding further unwanted access.
Furthermore, Cypher Protocol initiated communication with the hacker on August 10th by offering a 10% white hat bounty, amounting to roughly $120,000. Unfortunately, despite the incentive, the hacker missed the given deadline, prompting the protocol to open the bounty to the public.
Overall, the Cypher Protocol security breach highlights the perpetual maneuvers between security experts and malicious actors within the crypto sector. While blockchain technology is praised for its security features, vulnerabilities and exploits still manage to surface, putting users’ funds at risk.
According to the REKT database, Cypher Protocol’s security breach came in third in terms of the amount exploited during the month of August. Leveraged yield aggregation platform Steadefi experienced an exploit resulting in a loss of $1.1 million on August 7th. Similarly, Zunami, a DeFi protocol, suffered a staggering $2.1 million flash loan attack on August 13th.
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Benjamin Godfrey is a blockchain enthusiast and journalist who relishes writing about the real life applications of blockchain technology and innovations to drive general acceptance and worldwide integration of the emerging technology. His desire to educate people about cryptocurrencies inspires his contributions to renowned blockchain media and sites.
