Michaela
Iran’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, has reportedly suffered a major security breach, with a pro-Israel hacker group known as “Gonjeshke Darande” claiming responsibility. The attack is said to have drained at least $81.7 million in assets across the Tron network and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible blockchains.
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT reported that the attackers behind the Nobitex breach leveraged a “vanity address” to carry out the exploit, triggering “suspicious outflows” from several wallets tied to the Iranian crypto exchange. The initial $49 million was drained through an address labeled “TKFuckiRGCTerroristsNoBiTEXy2r7mNX,” while a second address used in the operation was “0xffFFfFFffFFffFfFffFFfFfFfFFFFfFfFFFFDead.”
“This morning, June 19, our technical team detected signs of unauthorized access to a portion of our reporting infrastructure and hot wallet,” Nobitex wrote on an X post, acknowledging the hack. “Immediately upon detection, all acсess was suspended and our internal security teams are closely investigating the extent of the incident,” the exchange added.
Nobitex stated that user assets remain “completely securе” in accordance with cold storage protocols. The exchange noted that the incident was limited to a subset of funds held in hot wallets. It also assured users that all losses will be fully covered using its insurance reserves and internal resources.
Related: Binance Founder Zhao Says Lack of Privacy Hampers Crypto Payments Growth
Shortly after the crypto exchange publicly confirmed the breach, Gonjeshke Darande, Farsi for Predatory Sparrow, сlaimed responsibility for the attack on Nobitex in a post on X.
“In 24 hours, we will release Nobitex’s source code and internal information from their internal network. Any assets that remain there after that point will be at risk!” the hacking group warned. “The Nobitex exchange is at the heart of the regime’s efforts to finance terror worldwide, as well as being the regime’s favorite sanctions violation tool,” they added.
Related: Kusama Reveals Details Of New AI Product in Recent Livestream
The Israel-linked hacking group asserted that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s reliance on Nobitex is emphasized by the fact that working at the exchange is regarded as valid military service and plays a critical role in supporting the regime’s objectives.
Gonjeshke Darande further stated that their cyberattack targeted Nobitex due to its function as a significant instrument for financing tеrrorism and facilitating sanctions evasion. “Associating with regime terror financing and sanction violation infrastructure puts your assets at risk,” the group warned users.
Prior to targeting Nobitex, Gonjeshke Darande took responsibility for a cyberattack on Bank Sepah, one of Iran’s oldest and largest state-owned banks. The group reportedly destroyed data linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ operations within Bank Sepah, accusing the institution of evading international sanctions and using Iranian citizens’ funds to support the regime’s terrorist affiliates, ballistic missile development, and military nuclear ambitions.
The hack and the subsequent claim of responsibility by Gonjeshke Darande coincide with escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. Late last week, Israel conducted a series of strikes targeting sites within Iran. According to The Guardian, the two nations have since exchanged strategic missile attacks, resulting in 224 reported fatalities in Iran and 24 in Israel.
Read More
- NoOnes CEO Accuses Binance of Seizing Palestinian Users’ Funds at Israel Defense Forces’ Request
- Nomad Hack Suspect Caught in Israel Trying to Flee Under Alias
- US Lawmakers Urge Biden Admin to Strengthen Crypto Regulations Amid Concerns Over Iran
MICHAELA
Michaela is a news writer focused on cryptocurrency and blockchain topics. She prioritizes rigorous research and accuracy to uncover interesting angles and ensure engaging reporting. A lifelong book lover, she applies her passion for reading to deeply explore the constantly evolving crypto world.
