EigenLayer, a prominent restaking protocol, fell victim to a hacking incident on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, with hackers using the breach to promote a fraudulent airdrop. The attack is part of a growing trend of crypto scams targeting social media accounts.
Fake Airdrop Scheme Uncovered
EigenLayer’s Malicious Airdrop post, Source: Twitter
Utilising the compromised account, the hackers promoted a fraudulent airdrop of EIGEN tokens, falsely linked to Season 2 of EigenLayer’s stakeholder airdrop. According to blockchain investigator ZachXBT, the attackers disseminated a malicious link masquerading as a reallocation event for the tokens. This was not the first incident; a series of fake posts included a “final call” urging users to claim tokens, despite the legitimate claim period for the Season 2 stakedrop already having ended. This made the posts blatant phishing attempts aimed at tricking unsuspecting users.
Previous Breach and Ongoing Concerns
This recent breach marks EigenLayer’s second security incident since October, following a serious event on October 4 when hackers stole 1.6 million EIGEN tokens, valued at $5.7 million, through a compromised email thread. In that instance, the Eigen team quickly froze some funds and assured users that the incident did not impact the protocol’s core functionality. The string of breaches highlights the increasing vulnerability of crypto projects, particularly in light of their rising popularity and user base.
Broader Trend of Social Media Hacks
The hacking of EigenLayer’s account is part of a troubling trend of social media account breaches targeting the cryptocurrency sector. High-profile victims include celebrities such as Hulk Hogan, Lara and Tiffany Trump, and Doja Cat, as well as corporate accounts like McDonald’s. These attacks are primarily aimed at promoting crypto scams, taking advantage of the significant trust users place in established accounts.
With the frequency of these attacks on the rise, the need for improved security measures in the cryptocurrency space has become increasingly apparent. Users are urged to exercise heightened caution and verify engagements through official channels, such as EigenLayer’s website, eigenlayer.xyz, to avoid falling victim to similar scams in the future.
