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Two MIT students accused of exploiting an Ethereum blockchain bug and stole $25 million in crypto

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Two MIT students accused of exploiting an Ethereum blockchain bug and stole $25 million in crypto

Just when you thought you’d seen it all when it came to cryptocurrency theft, two brothers studying at MIT discovered a whole new way to steal millions.

According to a US Department of Justice (DOJ) announcement On Wednesday, Anton Peraire-Bueno and James Peraire-Bueno were both charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The brothers allegedly found a way to mine the Ethereum blockchain and stole $25 million in cryptocurrency in the process.

“As we allege, defendants’ scheme calls into question the very integrity of blockchain,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York said in a statement. “The brothers, who studied computer science and mathematics at one of the world’s most prestigious universities, allegedly used their specialized skills and training to alter and manipulate the protocols that millions of data users rely on. ‘Ethereum across the world.

“Once they put their plan into action, their heist only took 12 seconds,” Williams continued. “This alleged scheme was new and has never been charged before.”

How two MIT students mined the Ethereum blockchain

Even though part of the brothers’ plan may have only lasted 12 seconds, the DOJ indictment clearly shows that they have meticulously planned and prepared for months in order to successfully operate the Ethereum blockchain.

On the Ethereum blockchain, transactions are not verified in chronological order, but by “maximum extractable value” or MEV, essentially the value that validators can earn from the transaction. Validators verify transactions and, in turn, add new blocks to the blockchain.

Crushable speed of light

According to the DOJ, the two MIT students exploited a flaw in MEV-Boost, an open source software used by 90% of Ethereum validators. After discovering the exploit, Anton and James Peraire-Bueno set up a series of validators using shell companies to conceal their identities. The DOJ says it took “several months” for the two men to prepare their project.

The Peraire-Bueno brothers set their plot in motion by creating “bait transactions” to entice “victim traders” to reveal their trading behavior.

In April 2023, the two men pulled off their $25 million cryptocurrency heist by “luring” victim traders’ MEV bots with eight transactions containing “illiquid cryptocurrencies” to execute and then transfer to stablecoins and other liquid cryptocurrencies. These brothers’ bundled “decoy transactions” were scheduled to be verified by one of their own validators.

From there, the brothers exploited the system by forging signatures to fool the blockchain relay into disclosing transaction information, which they then manipulated. As a result, Anton and James Peraire-Bueno walked away with $25 million and took further steps to cover up their alleged crime.

“These brothers allegedly committed the first manipulation of the Ethereum blockchain by fraudulently accessing ongoing transactions, altering the movement of electronic money, and ultimately stealing $25 million in cryptocurrency from their victims,” the agent said special in Indict Thomas Fattorusso of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) New York Field Office in a news release. “In this case, the IRS-CI New York Cyber ​​Unit simply followed the money.”

According to the DOJ, the two men left a trail of incriminating evidence, including a document describing the exploit in detail, dividing their plan into “four stages”: bait, unblocking, research, and propagation.

Additionally, in the weeks and months following the exploit, the brothers’ search history revealed queries for terms like “top crypto lawyers,” “statute of limitations for wire fraud,” money laundering”, “Ethereum fraud address database” and searches. regarding countries with which the United States has extradition agreements.

Both men face up to twenty years in prison on each charge.

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Cyber ​​security
Cryptocurrency



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We are the editorial team of Chain Feed Staff, where seriousness meets clarity in cryptocurrency analysis. With a robust team of finance and blockchain technology experts, we are dedicated to meticulously exploring complex crypto markets with detailed assessments and an unbiased approach. Our mission is to democratize access to knowledge of emerging financial technologies, ensuring they are understandable and accessible to all. In every article on Chain Feed Staff, we strive to provide content that not only educates, but also empowers our readers, facilitating their integration into the financial digital age.

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Ethereum

QCP sees Ethereum as a safe bet amid Bitcoin stagnation

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QCP, a leading trading firm, has shared key observations on the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin’s struggle to surpass the $70,000 mark has led QCP to predict Selling pressure is still strong, with BTC likely to remain in a tight trading range. In the meantime, Ethereum (ETH) is seen as a more promising investment, with potential gains as ETH could catch up to BTC, thanks to decreasing ETHE outflows.

Read on to find out how you can benefit from it.

Bitcoin’s Struggle: The $70,000 Barrier

For the sixth time in a row, BTC has failed to break above the $70,000 mark. Bitcoin is at $66,048 after a sharp decline. Many investors sold Bitcoin to capitalize on the rising values, which caused a dramatic drop. The market is becoming increasingly skeptical about Bitcoin’s rise, with some investors lowering their expectations.

Despite the continued sell-off from Mt. Gox and the US government, the ETF market remains bullish. There is a notable trend in favor of Ethereum (ETH) ETFs as major bulls have started investing in ETFs, indicating a bullish sentiment for ETH.

QCP Telegram Update UnderlinesIncreased market volatility. The NASDAQ has fallen 10% from its peak, led by a pullback in major technology stocks. Currency carry trades are being unwound and the VIX, a measure of market volatility, has jumped to 19.50.

The main factors driving this uncertainty are Value at Risk (VaR) shocks, high stock market valuations and global risk aversion sentiment. Commodities such as oil and copper have also declined on fears of an economic slowdown.

Additionally, QCP anticipates increased market volatility ahead of the upcoming FOMC meeting, highlighting the importance of the Federal Reserve’s statement and Jerome Powell’s subsequent press conference.

A glimmer of hope

QCP notes a positive development in the crypto space with an inflow of $33.7 million into ETH spot ETFs, which is giving a much-needed boost to ETH prices. However, they anticipate continued outflows of ETHE in the coming weeks. The recent Silk Road BTC moves by the US government have added to the market uncertainty.

QCP suggests a strategic trade involving BTC, which will likely remain in its current range, while ETH offers a more promising opportunity. They propose a trade targeting a $4,000-$4,500 range for ETH, which could generate a 5.5x return by August 30, 2024.

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Ethereum

Ethereum Whale Resurfaces After 9 Years, Moves 1,111 ETH Worth $3.7 Million

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Ethereum records $17.9 billion in spot volume despite 3% drop

An Ethereum ICO participant has emerged from nearly a decade of inactivity.

Lookonchain, a smart on-chain money tracking tool, revealed On X, this long-inactive participant recently transferred 1,111 ETH, worth approximately $3.7 million, to a new wallet. This significant move marks a notable on-chain movement, given the participant’s prolonged dormancy.

The Ethereum account in question, identified as 0xE727E67E…B02B5bFC6, received 2,000 ETH on the Genesis block over 9 years ago.

Screenshot 2024 07 30 at 171307

This initial allocation took place during the Ethereum ICOwhere the participant invested in ETH at around $0.31 per coin. The initial investment, worth around $620 at the time, has now grown to millions of dollars.

Recent Transactions and Movements

The inactive account became active again with several notable output transactions. Specifically, the account transferred 1,000 ETH, 100 ETH, 10 ETH, 1 ETH, and 1 more ETH to address 0x7C21775C…2E9dCaE28 within a few minutes. Additionally, it moved 1 ETH to 0x2aa31476…f5aaCE9B.

Additionally, in the latest round of transactions, the address transferred 737,995 ETH, 50 ETH, and 100 ETH, for a total of 887,995 ETH. These recent activities highlight a significant movement of funds, sparking interest and speculation in the crypto community.

Why are whales reactivating?

It is also evident that apart from 0xE727E67E…B02B5bFC6, other previously dormant Ethereum whales are waking up with significant transfers.

In May, another dormant Ethereum whale made headlines when it staked 4,032 ETHvalued at $7.4 million, after more than two years of inactivity. This whale initially acquired 60,000 ETH during the Genesis block of Ethereum’s mainnet in 2015.

At the time, this activity could have been related to Ethereum’s upgrade known as “Shanghai,” which improved the network’s scalability and performance. This whale likely intended to capitalize on the price surge that occurred after the upgrade.

Disclaimer: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The opinions expressed in this article may include the personal opinions of the author and do not reflect the opinion of The Crypto Basic. Readers are encouraged to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.

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Ethereum

Only Bitcoin and Ethereum are viable for ETFs in the near future

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Only Bitcoin and Ethereum are viable for ETFs in the near future

BlackRock: Only Bitcoin and Ethereum Are Viable for ETFs in the Near Future

Bitcoin and Ethereum will be the only cryptocurrencies traded via ETFs in the near future, according to Samara Cohen, chief investment officer of ETFs and indices at BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager.

In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Cohen explained that while Bitcoin and Ethereum have met BlackRock’s rigorous criteria for exchange-traded funds (ETFs), no other digital asset currently comes close. “We’re really looking at the investability to see what meets the criteria, what meets the criteria that we want to achieve in an ETF,” Cohen said. “Both in terms of the investability and from what we’re hearing from our clients, Bitcoin and Ethereum definitely meet those criteria, but it’s going to be a while before we see anything else.”

Cohen noted that beyond the technical challenges of launching new ETFs, the demand for other crypto ETFs, particularly Solana, is not there yet. While Solana is being touted as the next potential ETF candidate, Cohen noted that the market appetite remains lacking.

BlackRock’s interest in Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs comes after the successful launch of Ethereum ETFs last week, which saw weekly trading volume for the crypto fund soar to $14.8 billion, the highest level since May. The success has fueled speculation about the next possible ETF, with Solana frequently mentioned as a contender.

Solana, known as a faster and cheaper alternative to Ethereum, has been the subject of two separate ETF filings in the US by VanEck and 21Shares. However, the lack of CME Solana futures, unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum, is a significant hurdle for SEC approval of a Solana ETF.

Despite these challenges, some fund managers remain optimistic about Solana’s potential. Franklin Templeton recently described Solana as an “exciting and major development that we believe will drive the crypto space forward.” Solana currently accounts for about 3% of the overall cryptocurrency market value, with a market cap of $82 billion, according to data from CoinGecko.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin investors continue to show strong support, as evidenced by substantial inflows into BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ: IBIT). On July 22, IBIT reported inflows of $526.7 million, the highest single-day total since March. This impressive haul stands in stark contrast to the collective inflow of just $6.9 million seen across the remaining 10 Bitcoin ETFs, according to data from Farside Investors. The surge in IBIT inflows coincides with Bitcoin’s significant $68,000 level, just 8% off its all-time high of $73,000.

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Ethereum

Ethereum Posts First Consecutive Monthly Losses Since August 2023 on New ETFs

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Ethereum sees first monthly consecutive losses since August 2023 amid new ETFs

Available exclusively via

Bitcoin ETF vs Ethereum: A Detailed Comparison of IBIT and ETHA

Andjela Radmilac · 3 days ago

CryptoSlate’s latest market report takes an in-depth look at the technical and practical differences between IBIT and BlackRock’s ETHA to explain how these products work.

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