Crypto Market Recovers Over Half of Stolen Funds in Q2, With Record Recovery Rate of 77%
The cryptocurrency market has shown great resilience in the face of adversity, achieving a record recovery rate of 77% for stolen funds in the second quarter of 2024.
In Q2 2024, $347.4 million of the stolen crypto funds were successfully recovered or frozen out of the total $512.9 million lost, according to Hacken’s Web3 Security Report Q2 2024.
“For the second consecutive quarter, the silver lining amid the alarming rate of theft in crypto is the amount of funds recovered,” the report wrote.
“This time, the industry managed to recover more than half of assets targeted by scammers and hackers.”
Crypto Hacks Decline, Along Stolen Funds
The report also revealed that the second quarter of 2024 saw a decline in the number of hacks compared to the first quarter, with the total number of incidents dropping from 67 to 41.
However, despite this positive trend, the financial losses remain a critical concern, with Q2 losses amounting to $512.9 million, nearly matching the total losses for all of 2023.
🚨 Web3 Security Report Alert: Total losses for H1 2024 nearly match all of 2023
We’ve teamed up w/ @hackenproof to bring you the Q2 '24 Security Report
Why did it end up with half a billion in hacks? Find out: https://t.co/LdXvKSDHqP
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Meanwhile, the most prevalent type of attack in Q2 was access control-related breaches, which, although fewer in number, resulted in the highest financial losses.
For instance, the DMM Bitcoin incident alone accounted for a staggering $305 million loss, showcasing the severe impact of compromised security in centralized finance (CeFi) platforms.
Other notable attack vectors included flash loan attacks, which accounted for $84.36 million, and rug pulls, resulting in $23.1 million in losses.
CeFi platforms, despite their perceived security, were not immune to significant breaches.
The Rain Exchange hack, due to a failure in securing private keys, led to a loss of $14.8 million.
Furthermore, token projects have been particularly susceptible to attacks, largely due to their rapid growth and the complex nature of smart contracts.
Many new projects prioritize quick launches over thorough security audits, resulting in overlooked vulnerabilities.
Additionally, the sophistication of social engineering tactics has made it easier for attackers to gain access to critical administrative accounts and sensitive information.
Crypto Scams on X See a Surge
Cryptocurrency scams have thrived on X, with analysts attributing a significant portion of all crypto scams to scammers on the platform.
Scam Sniffer, a web3 anti-scam company present on X, conducted an analysis revealing that nearly $50 million is lost each month due to account impersonation on X.com.
While these problems existed prior to Elon Musk’s involvement in the platform, the confusion surrounding the new owner’s controversial paid verification service may contribute to the continued vulnerability of the general public to impersonation scams.
The service allows anyone with a smartphone to register and receive verification, potentially adding to the challenges faced in distinguishing genuine accounts from fraudulent ones.
Just recently, Binance co-founder Yi He raised concerns about the proliferation of cryptocurrency scams on X, questioning whether Musk would take action to tackle the issue.
Likewise, Rapper 50 Cent, known as Curtis Jackson, has fallen victim to a hacking incident with his X account being used to promote a fraudulent meme coin based on the Solana blockchain.
