Key Highlights:
🚨 Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin falls prey to an alarming SIM-swap attack, shedding light on the rising vulnerabilities even for tech giants!
🐦 $691,000 Lost Overnight: Hackers hijack Buterin’s Twitter, luring users into a deceptive NFT giveaway. Safety on social media platforms is under scrutiny.
📱 T-Mobile’s Troubled Waters: With not one, but multiple SIM-swap controversies under its belt, the telecom behemoth faces rising concerns over its security infrastructure.
In an age where data security is paramount, it’s disconcerting to find that even the giants aren’t immune. The recent hacking of Vitalik Buterin’s Twitter account brings to the forefront the alarming rise of SIM-swap attacks.
Ethereum Founder's Digital Misfortune: Vitalik Buterin's X Account Compromised!
— Logll Tech News 🚘 (@LogllNews) September 11, 2023
The digital realms faced turbulence as Vitalik Buterin's account on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) was targeted by hackers, leading to financial losses that reach well into the six-figure…
Vitalik’s Tryst with a SIM-Swapper
The Incident Unfolded: Buterin’s Unexpected Social Media Fiasco
On a seemingly ordinary day, Sept. 12, the Ethereum co-founder took to the decentralized social platform, Farcaster, to shed light on a harrowing incident. In his own words, Buterin confirmed, “Yes, it was a SIM swap, meaning someone socially-engineered T-Mobile itself to take over my phone number.” 😲
Source: https://warpcast.com/vitalik.eth/0xb23618
Ripples of the Hack: The Aftermath on Twitter 🐦
When hackers take over, chaos ensues. This was all too evident when scammers, armed with control over Buterin’s Twitter, sent out false NFT giveaway links on Sept. 9. The unfortunate result? Unsuspecting users were duped out of a whopping $691,000.
A Glimpse into the Vulnerability: Buterin’s Reflections and Lessons
“A phone number is sufficient to password reset a Twitter account even if not used as 2FA,” Buterin disclosed, highlighting a flaw many might not be aware of.
Guarding the Gates: Ensuring Digital Safety
2FA – The Need of the Hour:
Ethereum developer, Tim Beiko, was quick to respond to the incident, urging Twitter users to ditch phone numbers and turn on 2FA. Addressing platform magnate Elon Musk, Beiko stated, “Seems like a no-brainer to have this default on, or to default turn it on when an account reaches, say, >10k followers.”
Diving Deeper into SIM-Swapping:
It’s not just about taking over a Twitter account. A SIM-swap or simjacking is a sophisticated technique enabling hackers to take control of victims’ mobile numbers. This control paves the way for them to bypass two-factor authentication (2FA), potentially providing access to personal, bank, and cryptocurrency accounts.
T-Mobile in the Hot Seat: A History of Security Concerns
Past Troubles Resurface: SIM-Swapping isn’t New for T-Mobile
Regrettably, this isn’t T-Mobile’s inaugural dance with SIM-swap related issues. The telecom giant faced legal troubles in 2020 when it was implicated in the theft of $8.7 million worth of cryptocurrency due to similar attacks.
Recurring Nightmares: Another SIM-Swap Controversy in 2021
Fast forward to February 2021, T-Mobile found itself embroiled in another lawsuit. A distraught customer lamented the loss of $450,000 in Bitcoin, pointing fingers at yet another SIM-swap debacle.
Twitter opsec PSA:
— timbeiko.eth ☀️ (@TimBeiko) September 9, 2023
If you have a phone number linked on your account, even with other 2FA, it can be used to reset your PW. Need to specifically disable it + remove phone #.
If your Twitter account pre-dates crypto, strongly recommend double-checking, and adding strong 2FA! pic.twitter.com/uXrvHYhQvJ
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Sergio Richi
Editor, Logll Tech News
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