Abstract:

• OG MetaMask addresses have misplaced over 5000 ETH in property, NFTs, and tokens since December 2022, MetaMask developer Tay Vano stated on Twitter.
• The hackers drained wallets throughout 11 chains, swapping different cryptos for Bitcoin and Ether earlier than transferring the funds to a centralized swapper.
• Tay Vano stated the exploiter more than likely laid arms on a cache of personal keys generated between 2014-2022.

An unknown hacker has drained cryptocurrencies from OG MetaMask pockets addresses since December 2022, blockchain developer Tay Vano stated on Twitter.

In response to the MetaMask builder, the hacker drained over 5000 ETH in tokens and NFTs from addresses throughout 11 chains. The loot quantities to over $10 million in Ether at present costs. ETH traded above $2100 on Tuesday following the Shapella improve that rolled out on April 12.

MetaMask OGs Rekt

In response to Tay Vano’s Twitter thread, the wallets that suffered theft shared some commonalities. For starters, all of them belong to MM OGs and never ‘noobs’, a time period used to check with new crypto customers. Additionally, all of the drained wallets generated their personal keys or seed phrases someday between 2014 and 2022.

The stolen property are swapped to ETH utilizing MetaMask’s in-built swap operate earlier than draining the pockets of the crypto. Notably, this solely occurs when the goal tackle holds a smaller worth and a basket of tokens.

Vano stated that the hacker in the end converts tokens to Bitcoin (BTC) earlier than transferring the funds to a centralized swapping platform like FixedFloat, SimpleSwap, SideShift, ChangeNOW, or LetsExchange. The unknown attacker additionally leverages digital asset tumblers like CryptoMixer.

Excessive-Stage Theft

Vano theorized that the attacker holds a “fatty cache” of information that permits them to methodically steal property. The MM developer confused that the supply of the compromise is unclear, even after a number of wallets and gadgets had been analyzed.

It stays to be seen how or if affected MetaMask customers can get well their property or guard in opposition to the continuing exploit.