Cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex said it experienced a “minor” information security incident after one of its customer support agents was hacked earlier in the week (October 30-November 5).
This led to a wave of phishing attacks against Bitfinex users but only minor damage was done, the company explained in a statement issued on November 4.
“A small portion of our customer support panels, which contain partial, incomplete and outdated information, were accessed by an individual or group, through customer support agent phishing.”
Fortunately, the customer support agent did not have “senior permissions” and therefore had limited access to support tools and help desk tickets, the company added.
Bitfinex confirmed that its systems were not compromised and no customer funds were lost.
“The server, wallet or database infrastructure is not being accessed.” Bitfinex added:
“At no time were customer assets on the platform at risk, and password information was not accessible. Most affected customer accounts were empty or inactive.
While Bitfinex said the issue has now been “resolved,” it is still reviewing the incident and the compromised information and reaching out to affected customers.
Good morning!
While sipping your morning coffee ☕, take comfort in knowing that Bitfinex prioritizes your security.
We ensure the safety of your information and funds, giving you peace of mind to start your day off right.
— Bitfinex (@bitfinex) August 2, 2023
The company has notified law enforcement of the issue and will work with investigative authorities to track down the perpetrator of the phishing attack.
“We have a proven track record of securing successful convictions against individuals who have attempted to attack our operations in the past,” Bitfinex reiterated.
The incident occurred despite Bitfinex regularly reviewing its security procedures and mandating all employees to conduct cybersecurity training.
Don’t be fooled by phishing scams!
Read more in our official knowledge base article
https://t.co/SVcrron9az pic.twitter.com/tgTb1saA9m
— Bitfinex (@bitfinex) April 2, 2022
Related: Cryptocurrency Phishing Scams: How Users Can Stay Protected
Bitfinex was founded in Hong Kong in 2012. Jean-Louis van der Velde has served as CEO of the company since 2013.
Bitfinex ranks 17th in CoinGecko’s “Trust Score” index among all cryptocurrency exchanges. It has seen more than 800,000 visits on its platform over the past month.
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