The crypto ecosystem faces a new threat following the alert issued by researcher ZachXBT regarding an ongoing cross-chain attack. This active exploit is affecting hundreds of wallets across multiple Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible networks. According to the official spokesperson, losses already exceed 107,000 dollars, showing a coordinated and highly sophisticated execution during this Friday morning.
ZachXBT identified that attackers steal small amounts, generally under 2,000 dollars per wallet, to avoid immediate detection by systems. Despite research efforts, the root cause of the incident has not yet been fully identified by the team. This ongoing cross-chain attack follows the trail of a devastating December for cryptocurrency safety, where millions were lost in various security failures globally.
Likewise, the researcher pointed out a suspicious address linked to the thefts, while gathering victim data to deepen the analysis. The attack pattern suggests that threat actors use an infrastructure capable of operating simultaneously on several networks at once. In this way, they manage to maximize fund extraction before users can react to the security breach detected recently in the system.
Towards a paradigm shift in the operational security of digital assets
On the other hand, this incident occurs in a context of vulnerability following the recent Trust Wallet hack. The company confirmed that a malicious version of its browser extension allowed recovery phrase extraction in December. Therefore, the ongoing cross-chain attack could be related to similar operational vulnerabilities that exploit the human factor and private keys directly.
Furthermore, experts like Mitchell Amador, CEO of Immunefi, warn that the threat landscape is mutating toward operational security risks. Attackers no longer just look for flaws in smart contract code, but weaknesses in treasury management instead. Therefore, the industry faces a reckoning where access credential protection is a top priority to avoid massive losses in the near future.
Will blockchain networks be able to stop the spread of this multichain exploit?
However, the distributed nature of these aggressions makes a centralized response by network developers difficult to achieve. The ongoing cross-chain attack mimics address poisoning tactics and key compromises that have plagued the entire sector. Therefore, users are highly recommended to meticulously verify every transaction and revoke permissions for suspicious decentralized applications (dApps).
Finally, the research community is working around the clock to mitigate the impact of this new theft cycle. Coordination between platforms and security experts will be decisive in identifying those responsible for this persistent infrastructure. Undoubtedly, the ongoing cross-chain attack highlights the urgent need to improve incident response protocols across the entire global digital ecosystem.
