Major Crypto Hack: Pro-Israel Group Destroys $90 Million in Digital Assets from Iranian Exchange

Cyber Attack on Nobitex: A Significant Loss

A cyberattack attributed to the pro-Israel hacking collective Gonjeshke Darande has reportedly erased over $90 million in digital currency from Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

Attack Details and Methods

In a recent post on social media, Gonjeshke Darande asserted that they had permanently annihilated the stolen assets by transferring them to “vanity addresses” that lack accessible private keys. This method ensures that the funds are irrevocably lost, similar to setting fire to currency.

The assault on Nobitex led to the siphoning off of substantial amounts of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and various other cryptocurrencies from compromised hot wallets. The hackers claimed their actions were a direct retaliation against Nobitex for purportedly assisting the Iranian government in evading international sanctions and financing terrorism.

Context: Heightened Tensions Between Iran and Israel

The timing of this attack coincides with escalating military tensions and cyber warfare between Iran and Israel, which have intensified in light of recent Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. Security firms such as Chainalysis have verified that the diverted assets did not flow to mixers or exchanges but instead to addresses marked as unrecoverable, emphasizing the severity of the breach.

Political Messages Embedded in the Hack

Some of the addresses utilized in the hack contained provocative phrases aimed at Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. For instance, one Bitcoin wallet linked to the incident has been shown to have an invalid checksum, confirming it cannot be accessed. On the Ethereum network, the tokens have been sent to a well-known burn address, which is used to permanently eliminate tokens from circulation.

Nobitex’s Response to the Breach

In light of the attack, Nobitex has responded by asserting that customer assets remain secure within cold storage, and that their operational environment is now stabilized. The exchange has taken preventive measures by emptying hot wallets to mitigate further risks, and it reassured users that no personal funds would be affected, highlighting the existence of a reserve fund and an insurance pool.

Further Threats and Implications

Gonjeshke Darande has issued warnings about potentially releasing the source code and internal data of Nobitex, which could further compromise the security of the platform that caters to over 11 million users. The group cautioned that any assets left on Nobitex could be jeopardized unless users take immediate steps to withdraw them.

Broader Impact of the Hack

Although the hackers claim their intentions are not financially motivated, the repercussions of this incident highlight the emerging use of cryptocurrency platforms as battlegrounds amid state-level conflicts. The deliberate erasure of over $90 million in digital assets signifies a new phase in cyber warfare, wherein digital currencies are increasingly involved in geopolitical strife.