In a recent cybersecurity incident, Thunder Terminal, an on-chain trading platform, reported that it successfully thwarted a $240,000 exploit that compromised 114 wallets on its platform. However, the saga took an unexpected turn as the alleged hacker dismissed Thunder’s assurances as “all lies” and demanded a 50 ETH ($110,000) ransom for the supposedly affected user data.
The exploit, detailed in a Dec. 27 incident report by Thunder, revealed that the attacker gained access to a “MongoDB connection URL,” enabling unauthorized withdrawals on behalf of users. Thunder attributed the breach to a MongoDB company exploit that occurred eight days prior, compromising Thunder’s data security.
Despite Thunder’s reassurance that only a small fraction of wallets were compromised—114 out of 14,000— the hacker claimed to have obtained all user data and insisted on the ransom. The platform pledged to fully refund affected users, waive fees, and provide $100,000 in platform credits.
Thunder emphasized its commitment to user data safety and announced additional security measures. While not directly addressing the hacker’s ultimatum, Thunder stated that it lacks access to users’ private keys, making it impossible for the exploiter to gain such access.
Etherscan data revealed the hackers’ wallet address sending 86.3 ETH to the Railgun protocol, a service allowing users to anonymize transactions. The hacker’s memo on Etherscan asserted their control over user data and their demand for a ransom.
Thunder Terminal, launched by Eversify Labs in late 2022, is designed for swift trades across various blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, and Arbitrum. Positioned as a competitor to popular Telegram trading bots like Unibot, Thunder Terminal has become part of the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency trading platforms.
As Thunder grapples with the aftermath of the cyberattack, the cryptocurrency community watches closely, emphasizing the ongoing challenges faced by platforms in ensuring the security of user funds and data in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Image: Wallpapers.com
Disclosure Statement: Miami Crypto does not take any external funding, or support to bring crypto news to the readers. We do not have any conflicts of interest while writing news stories on Miami Crypto.