Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin’s X account has reportedly been hacked, resulting in the theft of $691,000 from unsuspecting users who clicked on a corrupted link shared on his feed.
The breach was initially detected on Saturday, when a questionable post surfaced on Buterin’s Twitter account, announcing the launch of commemorative non-fungible tokens (NFTs) by Consensys, a software provider. The malicious link, visible to Buterin’s 4.9 million followers, lured victims into connecting their wallets for NFT minting, but instead, it allowed the hacker to siphon their funds.
The hack was first confirmed by Buterin’s father, Dmitriy “Dima” Buterin, who said that the Ethereum creator is working on restoring access.
Several victims reported losing access to their wallet funds. Within hours, the hacker managed to drain over $147,000, which later escalated to a total of $691,000, as per blockchain investigator @ZachXBT.
In related news, users on the crypto gambling site Stake.com lost $41.3 million worth of funds on September 4. The hack, it appears, was the result of a compromised private key.
Information for this story was found via X, Decrypt, and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
