Cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx fell victim to a $55 million cyber attack on September 12. The latest reports indicate that the famous North Korean hacking group was behind the attack.
CoinEx perpetrators revealed: Famous cryptocurrency hackers are active again
Today, evidence emerged that the CoinEx attack is linked to the recent cyberattack on betting platform Stake.com. It is thought that both attacks were carried out by the same group. The FBI stated that the attack on Stake.com was directed by the Lazarus Group.
Analysis shows that those who conducted both attacks used the same Ethereum wallet. ZachXBT states that this wallet received funds from Stake.com and interacted with the wallet to which the stolen funds from CoinEx were transferred. cryptocoin.comAs we reported, Lazarus was responsible for the biggest hacking incidents in the cryptocurrency market.
It appears North Korea is also responsible for the $54M @coinexcom hack from yesterday after they accidentally connected their address to the $41M Stake hack on OP & Polygon.
0x75497999432b8701330fb68058bd21918c02ac59 pic.twitter.com/9qZPdc3yhT
— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) September 13, 2023
Stolen cryptocurrencies and the latest status of CoinEx
The total value of assets stolen from the CoinEx attack, initially estimated at $28 million, has increased to $55 million, according to data compiled by security firm SlowMist. The stolen assets include $6 million worth of Bitcoin and $18.5 million worth of ETH. The hackers also seized $6 million worth of XRP.
Following the attack, CoinEx announced that it had temporarily suspended deposits and withdrawals while an investigation was carried out. The exchange promised 100 percent compensation to affected users.
Urgent Notice: Security Incident on CoinEx – Immediate Actions Underway
On September 12, 2023, our Risk Control System detected anomalous withdrawals from several hot wallet addresses used to store CoinEx's exchange assets. Promptly recognizing the gravity of the situation, we…
— CoinEx Global (@coinexcom) September 12, 2023
Cybersecurity experts warn that such attacks may increase by targeting cryptocurrency exchanges. CoinEx officials promised to increase security measures to provide a safer service to its users. It is not yet clear whether the Lazarus group is behind this attack. However, available evidence shows that the group may be behind the attacks.
CoinEx guarantees 100% compensation
Suspicious withdrawal transactions that occurred on September 12 put the CoinEx exchange on alert. Immediately after the incident, the CoinEx team guaranteed 100% compensation to its customers. After detecting abnormal withdrawal transactions, the team immediately made a statement and formed an investigation team. This team promised to provide full compensation to damaged users. The cryptocurrency exchange assures its users that their assets are safe and that withdrawals will continue after a thorough review.
Lazarus was the perpetrator of a series of crypto hacking attempts
The name of the North Korean hacker group Lazarus is mentioned in a series of cryptocurrency hacking incidents in 2023. The famous hacker group stole $60 million from Alphapo and CoinsPaid platforms alone on July 22 this year. Additionally, on June 2, he not only stole $100 million from Atomic Wallet, but also attacked Harmony’s Horizon bridge and Sky Mavis’ Ronin bridge.
