Hackers Stole Over $3.3 Billion in Cryptocurrency Since the Start of the Year
According to blockchain security company PeckShield, cybercriminals have stolen approximately $3.37 billion worth of cryptocurrency since the beginning of this year. Of this amount, $1.3 billion was stolen during September, October, and November 2022 alone.
Major Hacks by Month
- September: There were 17 hacks, resulting in $171 million in stolen funds. One of the most notable incidents was the attack on cryptocurrency market maker Wintermute, where $160 million was stolen.
- October: A total of 44 cyberattacks occurred, with losses amounting to $760.2 million. This includes the hack of the BNB Chain blockchain, which resulted in $533 million being compromised. However, the attackers were only able to withdraw $100 million, as the rest of the funds were frozen by the platform.
- November: There were 29 hacks, with $391 million stolen in various digital assets. These attacks included the hack of the Deribit exchange ($28 million) and the theft of over $600 million from the accounts of the bankrupt FTX exchange.
Comparison with Summer Figures
For comparison, hackers stole about $446 million in cryptocurrency during the entire summer. For example, in June, a hacker breached the Horizon blockchain bridge operating on the Harmony network and stole $100 million in cryptocurrency. The attacker conducted 11 transactions within 18 minutes and then began transferring tokens to exchange them for Ethereum on the decentralized exchange Uniswap.