Vitalik Buterin, one of the co-founders of Ethereum, fell victim to a malicious hack of his X (formerly Twitter) account. This breach, uncovered by blockchain investigator ZachXBT, has left a trail of devastation with victims collectively losing more than $691,000 after unwittingly clicking on a deceptive link.
On September 9, Dmitry Buterin, Vitalik Buterin’s father, took to X to announce the breach of his son’s Twitter account. The initial post that raised the alarm has since been deleted, but it claimed to celebrate the upcoming “Proto-Danksharding” upgrade for Ethereum.
The hacker behind this scheme enticed unsuspecting victims with a link promising a free commemorative nonfungible token (NFT). To claim the token, users were required to connect their wallets, only to find that their funds were promptly stolen.
CryptoPunk NFT Collection Takes a Hit
The repercussions of this incident have rippled through the crypto community. Ethereum developer Bok Khoo, known as Bokky Poobah on X, disclosed that he suffered significant losses in his CryptoPunk NFT collection.
At the time of reporting, the current floor price for a CryptoPunk NFT stands at 46.99 Ether, equivalent to approximately $76,837. This underscores the magnitude of the losses experienced by victims.
ZachXBT, the vigilant investigator, has been diligently informing his 438,200 followers about the hacker’s nefarious activities. He recently revealed that the most valuable NFT stolen thus far is CryptoPunk #3983, valued at 153.62 ETH or approximately $250,543.
Debate Over Security Measures with Vitalik Buterin
In the aftermath of this incident, questions have arisen regarding Vitalik Buterin’s security measures for his X account. A user with the alias Satoshi 767 suggested that insufficient security measures may have exposed Buterin to the hack, referencing SIM-swap attacks as a “common mistake” among crypto project founders.
However, ZachXBT challenged these allegations, emphasizing that Vitalik’s high-profile status makes him a prime target for a variety of hacking attempts.
This high-profile breach serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threats faced by crypto leaders and the need for robust security measures in the digital age. As the investigation unfolds, the crypto community anxiously awaits further developments in this evolving saga.
