Hackers have executed a daring heist by targeting Atomic Wallet and making off with a staggering $35 million. These cybercriminals employed the THORChain, a cross-chain liquidity protocol, to cunningly conceal their illicit gains, as revealed by the diligent blockchain investigator, MistTrack.
According to MistTrack’s findings, a significant portion of the stolen funds, equivalent to 503.08 ether (ETH) valued at around $870,000, was funneled into THORChain within the last two days. Subsequently, the hackers converted their ill-gotten ether into bitcoin (BTC) by executing a seamless swap.
To further complicate their tracks, the perpetrators utilized the Swift blockchain to bridge some of the pilfered ether into multiple Bitcoin addresses, as disclosed by MistTrack.
In a startling twist, the hackers recently transferred a portion of their stolen funds to Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange. It is worth noting that Garantex previously faced sanctions from the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in April.
Offering insights into the identity behind these audacious acts, blockchain security firm Elliptic points the finger at Lazarus, a notorious North Korean hacking group. The evidence suggests their involvement in orchestrating this sophisticated attack.
Remarkably, despite the series of hack-related transactions, THORChain’s native token (THOR) has managed to maintain stability. Currently trading at 84 cents, it has experienced a slight increase over the past 24 hours, defying the tumultuous circumstances.
Also Read: Hackers Target Atomic Wallet Draining Over $35M User funds
This news sends shockwaves throughout the crypto community, underscoring the pressing need for heightened security measures to safeguard digital assets against such brazen attacks.
