Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic's latest analysis suggested that actors linked to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) may be behind the Drift Protocol hack.
Can a stablecoin choose not to freeze your funds and still be a stablecoin? That question, posted on X by Columbia Business School professor Omid Malekan, just got a sharp technical reality check from Ripple CTO Emeritus, David ‘JoelKatz' Schwartz. The timing could not be more loaded. Malekan's argument was straightforward.
What began as a single protocol exploit is now affecting the entire Solana network. Drift Protocol, which lost $285 million in the attack, is no longer only Drift's problem. New data from SolanaFloor shows 20 protocols are now exposed, with losses continuing to grow. Here's how the Drift Protocol exploit impacts the other Solana protocol.
The attack on Drift, a crypto exchange that offers perpetual futures on the Solana blockchain, remained underway late Thursday (April 2). A banner across the top of Drift's website said late Thursday: “Drift is being paused until further notice due to irregular activity in the protocol.
Blockchain security firms are currently investigating the infamous Drift Protocol breach that drained over $280 million.
A blockchain security expert compared Drift's lapse in security to Ethereum network Ronin's $625 million loss in 2022.
Arthur Hayes raises multisig concerns following the Drift exploit, while Solana executives blame compromised admin access.
Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic has flagged the $285 million Drift Protocol exploit the largest crypto hack of the year as bearing strong hallmarks of North Koreas state-sponsored Lazarus Group. The firm cited onchain behavior, laundering patterns, and network-level signals consistent with previous DPRK-linked attacks.
DPRK Link: Elliptic says the Drift Protocol exploit shows behavioral and laundering patterns consistent with DPRK operations, marking what could be the eighteenth such incident this year.
Circle's inaction during the Drift Protocol attack raises concerns about centralized stablecoin reliability and regulatory oversight effectiveness. Circle took no action during Drift Protocol attack, says investigator.
The blockchain analytics firm pointed to cross-chain laundering patterns and Solana-specific tracing challenges that mirror prior North Korean state-linked operations
Drift Protocol's reported $285M hack highlights Solana DeFi's human weak point, with social engineering, not core code flaws, behind the breach.