A Brazilian currency exchange cyberattack has surfaced on the dark web, offering unauthorized access for a price tag of $15,000. The illicit offer was posted on a dark web forum where a user named ‘Dementorfraud’ is selling access to an undisclosed Brazilian currency exchange.
Although the specific identity of the targeted Brazilian currency exchange remains undisclosed, the threat actor’s post provided insight into the compromised entity. The cyberattack on this exchange is just one example of the numerous assaults witnessed by financial institutions in recent years.
The Brazilian Currency Exchange Cyberattack and Similar Incidents
The Brazilian Currency Exchange cyberattack was posted by a user who joined the platform in 2024. The threat actor post reads, “Selling access to a Brazilian currency exchange. The company sends a cache by mail. Inside the log: huge databases, selfies, selfies with documents, and most importantly- the ability to send the cache to your drops (up to $10k per sending) The implementation of the log depends only on your imagination”.
Moreover, this cyberattack on currency exchange follows a similar intrusion that happened in 2020, impacting Travelex, a popular foreign currency exchange. According to official reports, Travelex faced a severe operational and reputational crisis due to a major cyber assault.
Hackers disrupted the firm’s website and forced its offices worldwide to resort to manual processes. The attackers, purportedly a ransomware gang, demanded £4.6 million from Travelex to restore normal operations. Despite efforts to mitigate the damage, the incident tarnished Travelex’s reputation irreparably.
Cyberattack on Cryptocurrency Firms: A Growing Trend
Similarly, the cryptocurrency industry has witnessed its share of high-profile hacks. In March 2022, the Ronin Network, which supports the Axie Infinity blockchain gaming platform, fell victim to a massive breach, resulting in the theft of approximately $625 million worth of Ethereum and USDC stablecoin. U.S. officials linked a North Korean state-backed hacking collective, Lazarus Group, to the theft, making it one of the largest cryptocurrency hacks in history.
Another notable incident occurred in August 2021 when a lone hacker exploited vulnerabilities in the Poly Network decentralized finance platform, absconding with over $600 million. However, the hacker surprisingly cooperated with efforts to return the stolen funds, signaling a peculiar motive behind the attack.
In November 2022, FTX, a prominent player in the crypto industry, declared bankruptcy after losing over $600 million in a hacking incident. The exchange’s wallets were compromised, leading to losses for its users and a subsequent investigation into the breach.
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