Ethereum Co-Founder Vitalik Buterin's Social Media Account hacked, over $691K drained from Victims
In a shocking turn of events, the Twitter (X) account of Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has reportedly been hacked, resulting in considerable losses for some digital asset holders. According to investigations by ZachXBT, victims collectively lost over $691,000 due to a malicious link shared through Buterin's account. This news follows reports of PeckShieldAlert that indicated Vitalik's account was compromised but seemed to be recovered almost immediately.
The Hack and its Consequences
According to a post by Dmitry Buterin, Vitalik's father, the account was compromised and is in the process of being restored. The hackers had shared a phishing link promising a free commemorative non-fungible assets to celebrate "Proto-Danksharding coming to Ethereum." Those who clicked the link and connected their wallets found their funds subsequently drained.
Notably, Ethereum developer Bok Khoo, known as 'Bokky Poobah' on social media, claimed significant losses in his CryptoPunk collection, which at the time had a prevailing floor price of approximately $76,837 or 46.99 Ether.
The Blame Game
The situation has ignited a debate about security and accountability in the digital asset space. A user going by the alias "Satoshi 767" blamed Buterin for poor operational security (op-sec), suggesting that he should compensate the affected users. However, this perspective has been challenged by ZachXBT, who noted that given Buterin's high-profile status, he is susceptible to more advanced forms of hacking.
A Growing Concern
The hacking of Vitalik Buterin's account is part of a worrying trend of high-profile Twitter accounts being compromised. In July 2023, Uniswap founder Hayden Adams' Twitter account was compromised. As the digital asset space grows, targeting high-profile figures is becoming more prevalent, underlining the importance of robust security measures.
The hacking of Vitalik Buterin's social media account serves as a stark reminder of the security risks involved in the rapidly evolving digital asset space. As investigators dig deeper into this breach, it remains to be seen what measures will be put in place to prevent such incidents in the future.
Arvin Nathan
