Artificial intelligence network Gnus.AI suffered a security breach on May 5th, resulting in a significant financial loss. The attack exploited a vulnerability within their Discord server, exposing critical information to unauthorized individuals.
🚨 Important Announcement 🚨
Due to a recent exploit, a hacker was able to mint fake $GNUS tokens on Fantom, transfer via Axelar Bridge to Ethereum and Polygon, and sell into existing liquidity pools.
We will be conducting a snapshot at the block preceding the exploit.
To… pic.twitter.com/MoKNybCwTN
— GNUS.ai (@GnusAi) May 5, 2024
The attackers gained access to the team’s private messages, compromising a crucial wallet address. This access allowed them to mint a staggering 100 million counterfeit GNUS tokens, the native cryptocurrency of the Gnus.AI network. These fake tokens were then introduced for sale, leading to an estimated loss of $1.27 million.
1/ The attacker obtained access to 0x18 which allowed them to copy the token manager's salt deployed on the eth and redeploy the token manager on Fantom.
They were then able to mint tokens which they bridged to Ethereum. pic.twitter.com/luYIbitRv6
— CertiK Alert (@CertiKAlert) May 6, 2024
Following the incident, the Gnus.AI team acknowledged the attack and announced the development of a new version of the GNUS token. They strongly advised users to refrain from purchasing the compromised version.
Security firm CertiK, specializing in blockchain security, investigated the hack and revealed that the attackers obtained the private key associated with the team’s wallet address, which began with the identifier “0x18.” This private key essentially grants unrestricted control over the wallet’s contents.
The Gnus.AI incident highlights the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures within the cryptocurrency and blockchain space. Discord servers, often used for communication within these communities, require proper security protocols to prevent unauthorized access and potential financial losses.
