Cyber Attack on Pepe Memecoin’s Official Site
The Pepe View More memecoin’s official site has fallen victim to a cyber attack, as reported by cybersecurity firm Blockaid. Users visiting the compromised site are being sent to a harmful link designed to siphon funds from their wallets.
Details of the Security Breach
Blockaid’s Threat Intelligence Team revealed on Thursday that malware associated with the Inferno drainer has been detected on the site, underscoring the critical nature of this security breach. The attack is classified as a front-end compromise, which means that legitimate users are misled to access a fraudulent website that employs harmful code to empty their cryptocurrency wallets.
Impact on PEPE Token Value
Inferno Drainer is notorious for facilitating various scams, including phishing sites and wallet drainers. Despite this serious incident, the value of the PEPE token has remained surprisingly stable, showing an increase of about 4% over the past day; however, it’s important to note that its value has plummeted by over 77% in the last year according to CoinGecko.
Warnings and User Advice
Cointelegraph attempted to reach out to the Pepe development team for a statement but had not received any acknowledgment before this article’s publication. This alarming event serves as a potent reminder for cryptocurrency users about the continuous threats posed by phishing scams and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Users are strongly advised to avoid accessing the compromised site until it is confirmed safe.
Surge in Inferno Drainer Usage
Interestingly, reports indicate a surge in the usage of Inferno Drainer tools, with a threefold increase noted this year compared to 2023. In January, there were approximately 800 new malicious Inferno Drainer decentralized applications (DApps) weekly, which has now escalated to around 2,400 weekly, according to Oz Tamir, a former engineer at Blockaid.
Related Cybersecurity Incidents
The ongoing activities associated with Inferno Drainer have been tied to numerous scams, including social media exploits and cryptocurrency thefts. Notably, a recent incident involved a cyber breach of the BNB X page in October, where attackers commandeered the X account and shared links that prompted users to link their wallets. Binance co-founder, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, publicly warned users to refrain from engaging with the malicious links until a resolution is reached.