Bitcoin cold-wallet attack spreads to 4,500 addresses as losses near $89 million - coindesk.com
2 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX iconX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on Hacker facing screens with lines of code (Boitumelo/Unsplash)#se-_R_99qanpfiupanivb_ .document-body > p:first-of-type::first-letter{float:none!important;font-size:inherit!important;line-height:inherit!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-top:0!important;font-weight:inherit!important}SummaryShowA vulnerability in a March 2021 Coldcard firmware release has enabled attackers to systematically drain bitcoin from thousands of wallets by reproducing keys generated with weak software-based randomness.Three distinct waves of attacks have now swept 1,367 bitcoin—nearly $89 million at recent prices—from 4,585 addresses, with the latest wave targeting smaller balances and using more complex, harder-to-trace transaction patterns.Galaxy Research believes each wave is the work of a single operator, but cannot determine whether the same attacker is behind all three, as the blockchain does not reveal whether separate sweeps are coordinated.The attacker working through Coldcard-generated keys is now emptying wallets worth a few thousand dollars each. Galaxy Research flagged a third wave of sweeps early Sunday, roughly 208 bitcoin drained from 1,912 addresses between Friday midday and Saturday morning UTC.