Solana’s Raj Gokal doxxed via Migos’ Instagram account after failed 40 BTC extortion bid

2 weeks ago

Hackers took implicit rap radical Migos’ Instagram relationship to station Solana co-founder Raj Gokal’s stolen idiosyncratic information, including his passport and telephone number, connected May 27 aft helium refused to wage a 40 Bitcoin (BTC) ransom.

Blockchain expert ZachXBT explained connected societal media that the attackers gained entree to 1 of Gokal’s email accounts days earlier the Instagram incident. 

The relationship contained know-your-customer photos of Gokal and his woman that had synced to a unreality backup. Users typically proviso these images to crypto exchanges oregon different fiscal services. 

Gokal alerted followers connected May 20 that chartless parties had “been trying to instrumentality power of my email, societal media, Google, Apple, etc” and advised them to dainty immoderate unexpected token launches oregon fundraising requests arsenic signs that the attackers had succeeded. 

Failed ransom attempt

After obtaining the documents, the attackers sought 40 BTC successful speech for keeping the worldly private, arsenic revealed successful the caption of 1 of the photos posted. Gokal did not pay.

When the extortion effort failed, the aforesaid histrion compromised Migos’ 13 million-follower Instagram illustration and uploaded images showing Gokal and his woman holding their passports.

Gokal addressed the occurrence lone with a comment connected X: 

“Always retrieve to formal up astute for your KYC photos. you ne'er cognize what benignant of scope they mightiness get connected societal media.” 

No narration to Coinbase information breach

ZachXBT said the breach relied connected social-engineering tactics against Gokal’s email supplier alternatively than connected leaked information from the caller Coinbase information breach incident, refuting speculation that the doxxing was linked to that breach.

Coinbase revealed connected May 15 that it suffered a information breach aft menace actors bribed enactment agents with entree to its interior systems. As a result, the radical targeted the speech customers successful societal engineering attacks.

According to a May 15 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Coinbase estimated remediation costs and voluntary lawsuit reimbursements to beryllium betwixt $180 cardinal and $400 million.

The station Solana’s Raj Gokal doxxed via Migos’ Instagram relationship aft failed 40 BTC extortion bid appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.

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