Cryptocurrency exchange replaced with fake site that steals customers’ money
A popular website that sells alternative cryptocurrencies has suspended its service after an alleged cyber attack.
EtherDelta warned customers not to visit its website because it had been hijacked by criminals who could empty customers' digital wallets.
The Ethereum and cryptocurrency trading website admitted there was "reason to believe" someone had accessed their server in a statement posted on Twitter Wednesday evening.
It appears that hackers have created a spoof website on the its domain, which could be filled with malware and used to empty users' digital wallets.
"We are investigating this issue right now - in the meantime please *DONOT* use the current site," the note read.
1/2 *IMPORTANT* we have reason to believe that there had been malicious attacks that temporarily gained access to @etherdelta DNS server. We are investigating this issue right now - in the meantime please *DONOT* use the current site.
— EtherDelta (@etherdelta) December 20, 2017
1/2 *IMPORTANT* we have reason to believe that there had been malicious attacks that temporarily gained access to @etherdelta DNS server. We are investigating this issue right now - in the meantime please *DONOT* use the current site.
— EtherDelta (@etherdelta) December 20, 2017
The imposer site could be spotted because it was missing a "chat" button on the navigation bar and an official Twitter Feed on the bottom right of the page. It was also populated with a fake order book, EtherDelta said.
The exchange, which offers alternatives to Bitcoin, has a trading volume of around $11 million every day, making it one of the world's most popular trading sites.
It is the latest in a number of cryptocurrency hacks. On Wednesday, a South Korean digital currency exchange said it is filing for bankruptcy after it was hacked for the second time in a year and warned customers that their digital assets' value would be reduced.
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Earlier this month, hackers made away with millions of pounds worth of customers’ Bitcoin stored by NiceHash currency exchange.
There are growing concerns that the popularity of Bitcoin could put tech-illiterate investors at risk of theft, as cryptocurrency increasingly becomes a target for hackers and criminal gangs.
