The Hacker Returns Stolen Funds from Crypto Exchange HTX
The hacker who exploited crypto exchange HTX (formerly Huobi) on September 24 has returned the approximately 5,000 ETH that was stolen. The funds were returned in two transactions: one of around 4,000 ETH and another of 1,000 ETH. Justin Sun, HTX advisor and Tron founder, confirmed the recovery on Twitter and announced that the hacker had been paid a “whitehat bonus” of 250 ETH ($400,000). In an on-chain message sent while returning the funds, the hacker advised HTX to change its system hot wallet address and reduce the rate. HTX responded by requesting a security vulnerability analysis report.
HTX Hack
Last month, HTX suffered a loss of approximately 5,000 ETH ($8 million) due to a hacker attack. However, the company fully covered the losses and resolved all related issues. The stolen amount was relatively small compared to the total assets held by HTX users and equated to about two weeks of revenue. HTX had offered a reward of 5% ($400,000) for returning the funds within a seven-day window, after which law enforcement would have been involved.
Hot Take: Hacker Returns Stolen Funds with Whitehat Bonus
The recent incident involving the hack on crypto exchange HTX ended positively as the hacker returned the stolen funds. This demonstrates the importance of addressing security vulnerabilities promptly and working together as an industry to prevent similar incidents in the future. HTX’s proactive response in offering a whitehat bonus shows their commitment to cybersecurity. While it is crucial for companies to invest in robust security measures, it is equally important for hackers to make ethical choices. This case serves as a reminder that responsible behavior can be rewarded even in the world of cryptocurrencies.
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