Bitfinex Customers Targeted in Phishing Attacks After Support Agent Hack

Bitfinex has experienced a “minor” security incident after one of its customer support agents fell victim to a hacking attempt, leading to several users being targeted in a series of phishing attacks.

The crypto exchange said the incident occurred between October 30 and November 5, according to a recent press release.

However, Bitfinex assured its customers that the impact was minimal and no significant damage occurred.

The breach occurred through the phishing of a customer support agent, who had access to partial information.

Fortunately, the agent did not have senior permissions and had limited access to supporting tools and help desk tickets, as confirmed by Bitfinex.

The exchange emphasized that its systems remained uncompromised and no customer funds were lost throughout the incident.

“At no time were customer assets on the platform at risk, nor was password information accessible,” it said.

“Most of the affected customer accounts were empty or inactive. We are continuing to review the incident and the compromised information. We are in the process of contacting all affected customers.”

Bitfinex Claims the Issue is Resolved

In the announcement, Bitfinex declared the issue as resolved.

However, the exchange said it continues to investigate the incident, review the compromised information, and reach out to affected customers.

The company also said it has reported the breach to law enforcement and is actively collaborating with investigative authorities to identify and apprehend the perpetrator behind the phishing attack.

“We have a strong track record of securing successful convictions against individuals who have attempted to attack our operations in the past,” Bitfinex said.

The exchange added that it regularly reviews its security procedures and mandates cybersecurity training for all employees in an effort to prevent such incidents.

Founded in Hong Kong in 2012, Bitfinex has established itself as a significant player in the cryptocurrency industry.

Under the leadership of CEO Jean-Louis van der Velde since 2013, the exchange has risen to 17th place in CoinGecko’s “Trust Score” index among all cryptocurrency exchanges.

In the past month alone, Bitfinex recorded over 800,000 visits to its platform.

The security incident at Bitfinex comes as hacks and scams continue to plague the crypto industry.

According to a report by blockchain security platform Immunefi, there were 76 hacks on crypto and Web3 projects and firms in Q3 2023, a significant increase compared to the 30 hacks reported in the same period in 2022.

In total, approximately $332 million has been lost to various exploits, hacks, and scams throughout September, marking a record-high month for crypto exploits.