Indodax, Indonesia’s largest digital asset trading platform has lost millions of dollars following a cyber attack on its platform. Speaking of the hack that occurred recently, the attackers made away with around $22 million in crypto assets.
This episode has sparked massive controversy in the crypto-space and has therefore resulted in increased insecurity of digital assets. The exchange has since attempted to rectify the situation but the magnitude of the breach makes many users of the exchange keep guessing about the safety of their funds.
Details of the Indodax Hack
The hack, according to the report, affected the hot wallets of Indodax through which a part of the exchange’s digital currencies are stored and actively used for operations. Compared to cold wallets, which are storage devices not linked to the internet to avoid being hacked, hot wallets are easily susceptible to hackers.
In this case, the hackers were able to utilize an exploit to breach into these wallets of users and make unauthorized withdrawals.
The stolen assets’ diversified assets were Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other altcoins. The Indonesia-based exchange has clarified that about $22 million in digital assets were stolen in the hack.
Indodax did not waste any time to freeze withdrawals and other actions that were deemed necessary in securing the platform against more attacks.
The CEO of Indodax, Oscar Darmawan, spoke to the public and stated his concern about the incident, also to assure users that the exchange was doing everything to figure it out. He also pointed out that Indodax would be engaging law enforcement agencies and other support from cybercrime professionals to apprehend the culprits and reclaim the stolen stocks.
Indodax’s Response and Countermeasures on the Breaches
After the hack, Indodax also temporarily discontinued the withdrawal service to stop the attackers from further intrusion. The exchange is also doing an audit to establish how deep the penetration was and which other areas of the security were compromised.
To its user base, Indodax has reiterated that most of the coins are in cold storage, which has not been compromised by the hackers. This is indeed a great blow to the exchange company and to its reputation given the $22 million lost from the hot wallets.
To encourage affected users to share their user ID and password, Indodax’s management has committed to reimbursing the losses drawn from its funds, guaranteeing that no user loses his or her Bitcoins. The firm needs to sustain user confidence amid escalating competition that may result in security compromises that drive customers away.
It also continues to coordinate with police offices in Indonesia and the International partners to track the stolen funds. Since cryptocurrencies are decentralized, and the identities of users mostly anonymous, it may take a long time to track stolen assets, however Indodax will not stop until they can be retrieved.
General Consideration for Crypto Security
This hack shows that there are still very unique problems which exchanges have to solve to protect their users’ cryptocurrency assets. While financial transfers using such currencies are more secure due to the improved techniques in the handling of blockchain and security, the clarity of decentralized and anonymous currency makes cryptocurrencies vulnerable to hacking.
There are inevitably dangers though hot wallets which are also more vulnerable to online attacks remain a weak link in exchanges.
This time it was an exchange that has been operational for a long time; it shows that no exchange is safe from the Japan Cyber Attacks. The Indonesia loss makes it critical again in the cryptocurrency market about ease in convenience and security exposure and violations.
The loss is very alarming and has put $22 million on Indodax digital currency exchange to be a wakeup call when it comes to the business of cryptocurrency. Though Indodax has moved quickly to attempt to strike a blow against the perpetrators and indemnities its user base, the event is an illustration of how security needs to be amped up within the cryptocurrency exchange arena. But fashionable cryptocurrencies are ‘too big to barter,’ and protection of consumers should remain the primary objective of exchanges to secure customers for future development of digital finance.
