A recent report by PeckShield has highlighted a significant rise in cyberattacks targeting cryptocurrency platforms in 2024, despite a notable increase in cryptocurrency prices. These attacks have resulted in losses surpassing $3 billion, but efforts to recover stolen assets have led to the return of hundreds of millions of dollars.
According to the data, the cryptocurrency industry experienced total losses of $3.01 billion in 2024 due to hacks and scams. Of this amount, $2.15 billion was lost to hacks, and $834.5 million to scams. Efforts to trace and recover stolen funds led to the recovery of about $488.5 million. Notably, the share of theft from centralized services increased in 2024, accounting for about 45% of the total losses.
The comprehensive security report also revealed that the cryptocurrency sector has been facing an alarming surge in cyberattacks, with decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms bearing the brunt of the damage. Although the recovery efforts have been successful in retrieving nearly half a billion dollars, DeFi platforms continue to be the primary targets, suffering substantial losses.
In December, the total losses from cryptocurrency-related attacks significantly dropped, reaching $28.6 million, the lowest for the year, according to CertiK’s report. However, phishing attacks remain a major threat to investors, with one victim suffering a massive loss of $7.87 million.
One high-profile incident involved hackers exploiting the X platform account of Yat Sio, CEO of Animoca Brands, to distribute misleading links, resulting in the theft of $500 million from cryptocurrency users.
Another phishing campaign lured victims with fake conference links, prompting them to install malware that compromised their wallet data. Tracked funds from both incidents were traced to money laundering activities on exchanges like Binance and Gate.io, suggesting the involvement of organized criminal groups.
Additionally, a new phishing attack used the name of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike to deceive job seekers into downloading malicious software. The software, designed to mine the Monero cryptocurrency (XMRig), operates in the background without the user’s knowledge. This targeted attack on job seekers makes it even more likely to succeed, as it preys on individuals actively searching for work.
Undoubtedly, these incidents reflect the growing sophistication of cyberattacks within the cryptocurrency sector, highlighting the need for ongoing vigilance and enhanced security measures to protect users and assets.
