Uniswap founder Hayden Adams was the latest victim of a Twitter account hack on June 20. The perpetrators held the account hostage for about 5 hours according to reports.
While the account was under the hackers’ control, a series of tweets containing phishing scams were promoted with links to fake giveaways, airdrops, and bounties. The incident can be attributed to a SIM swap hack. In this type of hack, the hacker takes control of the victim’s phone number and consequently has access to SIM card-based 2FA verification which enables them to log in to any app on the phone.
Uniswap Labs quickly took to its Twitter account to inform the community of the incident stressing that the hack did not affect the Uniswap core protocol.
.@haydenzadams’ Twitter account has been hacked. Please do not click on any links. There is no giveaway, airdrop, or bounty. The Protocol has not been hacked or exploited.
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We will let you know when the issue is resolved
— Uniswap Labs 🦄 (@Uniswap) July 20, 2023
In its tweet, Uniswap assured the community that there is no such giveaway or airdrops and that users should avoid clicking on any links posted via the account. furthermore, the company promised to update the community on the situation and when it is resolved. At the time of writing, it is uncertain how many people fell victim to the hack.
Related Reading: Common Cryptocurrency Scams and How to Avoid Them
Hayden Adams regains control of his account
Meanwhile, after an approximate period of 5 hours, the Uniswap founder Adams finally got gained control of his account. At the same time, all related scam tweets have been deleted.
Adams took to his account to inform users of the situation and also expressed gratitude to everyone that helped out in regaining the account as further details of the incident will be communicated in the future time.
In control of my twitter again 🫡
Appreciate everyone who helped out tonight, and the effort people put in to help with takedowns, warnings, etc
Will follow up with updates when ready https://t.co/t6WCAWOYlP
— hayden.eth 🦄 (@haydenzadams) July 21, 2023
The suspicious tweets posted on Adams’s account persuaded users to check for their eligibility for a donated $UNI token by visiting a website hosted in Russia. According to a Twitter user, the website was registered on the same day as the Twitter hack.
While some members of the crypto community promoted the scam by way of retweets, others were quick to identify that it was a scam and informed others.
Careful, Hayden has hacked.
Do not click those links.
I'd love to know how did they do it and what security measures Hayden had in place.
How did they hack you @haydenzadams? pic.twitter.com/ItWxQ6BrFZ
— olimpio (@OlimpioCrypto) July 20, 2023
This incident goes to prove the importance of awareness and security in the crypto world especially for top figures and big players in the crypto industry. In order not to become a victim of similar cyber attacks, users are advised to take caution before clicking on strange links. Always do due diligence by checking with the general community and try to gather as much information as possible about a supposed promotion.
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Victor Swaezy
Victor Swaezy is a crypto-journalist with more than 3 years of experience in covering blockchain technology and digital currencies news. Known for his comprehensive reporting, Victor has contributed to leading industry publications, providing market participants with the required knowledge to make informed decisions. When he is not working, he loves to watch movies and have a good time.