CoinGecko's X account hacked, posts fraudulent token airdrop
Quick Take
- Crypto price platform CoinGecko saw its social media profile hacked on X.
- A fraudulent post announced the launch of a token and included a suspicious link to claim an airdrop.
The cryptocurrency price tracking site CoinGecko had its account on the social media platform X hacked, the company announced on Wednesday.
In a fraudulent post, hackers promoted the launch of a new cryptocurrency called GCKO, which could pay for API services such as the cryptocurrency ANKR. They also included a suspicious link to a token airdrop.
CoinGecko later sought to limit the impact of the attempt to scam people with a warning posted to X.
"Our Twitter accounts CoinGecko and GeckoTerminal have been compromised," CoinGecko posted following the incident. "We're taking immediate steps to investigate the situation and secure our accounts. Please DO NOT click on any links or engage with suspicious content. Your security is our top priority. We'll keep you updated. Thank you for your understanding."
Hours later, CoinGecko explained that the hack was due to a team member clicking a malicious link. "Despite having 2FA enabled and implementing robust security measures, one of our team members clicked on a fraudulent Calendly link by accident, granting unauthorized app access to a hacker who then posted on our behalf," CoinGecko said, adding that both of their affected accounts have since been secured. "We sincerely apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused."
SEC's hacked X account
CoinGecko's hacked account follows the Securities and Exchange Commission having its X account compromised on Tuesday.
(Updates with an explanation from CoinGecko on how the hack occurred.)
Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.
© 2024 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.