How NEAR Intents Used Coded Language to Let the Hacker Know He’d Been Fingered
Key Summary
NEAR Intents, a blockchain project, was hacked, with an attacker draining $3.8 million. The team, however, took a unique approach to catch the hacker, using coded language to let him know he'd been fingered. In an interview, Alex Shevchenko, GM of NEAR Intents, explains how they linked the exploit accounts to a suspect and used Signal to send a private message, leaving room for plausible deniability. The incident highlights the cat-and-mouse game between hackers and blockchain projects.
NEAR Intents Hack: Coded Warning to Hacker
Background
The NEAR Intents hack was a significant breach, with the attacker draining $3.8 million. However, what's remarkable is how the team responded to the incident. They didn't publicly shame the hacker or the entire cryptocurrency community. Instead, they used coded language to let the hacker know he'd been caught.
The Coded Warning
According to Alex Shevchenko, GM of NEAR Intents, the security council linked the exploit accounts to a suspect. The team then used Signal to send a private message to the hacker, using an encrypted invitation with the attacker's public key. This allowed them to have a conversation with the hacker without revealing their identity. Shevchenko explained that the message was carefully crafted to leave room for plausible deniability, giving the hacker an opportunity to deny involvement without incriminating himself.
The Aftermath
The hacker eventually cooperated, and part of the stolen funds were recovered. The incident highlights the cat-and-mouse game between hackers and blockchain projects. NEAR Intents' approach shows that, with the right tools and strategies, blockchain projects can catch hackers and recover stolen funds. The incident serves as a reminder for hackers to be more careful and for blockchain projects to be more vigilant in their security measures.