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Ruholamin Haqshanas
Author
Ruholamin Haqshanas
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Giggle Academy, the educational initiative founded by Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ), fell victim to a cyberattack targeting its official X account (formerly Twitter).
The breach led to the dissemination of phishing links and false information, raising alarms about the growing threat of phishing in the cryptocurrency space.
The attack, confirmed by CZ on November 16, involved hackers posting fabricated claims about a “new CEO” for Giggle Academy.
Posts Include Malicious Links
The posts included malicious links urging users to verify the false announcement, attempting to trick victims into compromising their accounts.
CZ promptly warned the public to avoid engaging with the compromised account.
Giggle Academy, known for offering free online courses covering grades 1 to 12, focuses on core subjects as well as emotional intelligence, finance, and blockchain.
It aims to provide accessible education to underserved communities, making the breach a blow to its mission of fostering empowerment through learning.
This incident highlights the rising wave of phishing attacks plaguing the blockchain industry.
According to blockchain security firm CertiK, phishing-related losses in 2024 have exceeded $800 million, driven by increasingly sophisticated hacking techniques.
These include wallet-draining schemes and address poisoning, which exploit users’ trust and lack of technical vigilance.
CertiK reports that 247 phishing incidents have been recorded so far in 2024, with the first quarter seeing the highest number of attacks at 82 cases.
However, the second quarter led in financial losses, amounting to $433 million, followed by $343 million in the third quarter.
Even with fewer cases reported in the fourth quarter, the financial impact is set to rival earlier periods.
Hackers have been evolving their tactics, blending advanced tools like Angel Drainer and Pink Drainer with traditional methods.
Wallet-draining scams often exploit permissions granted by unsuspecting users, enabling hackers to access funds.
Notably, Angel Drainer’s acquisition of Inferno Drainer signals the rise of more potent phishing campaigns.
Address Poisoning Hacking Method Finds Popularity
Address poisoning is another growing concern.
In this method, scammers create fake wallet addresses mimicking legitimate ones.
By sending scam tokens to victims, they manipulate transaction histories, hoping users mistakenly transfer funds to fraudulent addresses.
As reported, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has disrupted hundreds of crypto scam incidents, reclaiming billions in extorted cryptocurrency since 2021.
DHS investigators have intercepted 537 ransomware attacks before they could cause widespread damage.
The effort, led by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cyber Crimes Center, has proven particularly vital for the protection of U.S. government agencies, which have been the primary targets of these cyber threats.
Meanwhile, phishing attacks remain a major issue for crypto users, resulting in substantial losses.
In September alone, more than 10,000 individuals lost over $46 million to such scams, as reported by Scam Sniffer, a Web3 anti-scam platform.
