smart contracts Archives

AppWizard

November 5, 2024

Played “Minecraft” for 1 hour and earned 1 BTC?

On November 3rd, at 5 AM, @rodarmor announced a limited-time puzzle game lasting eight hours with a prize called "cactusseeds," part of the "Dia De Pixales" collection, which is the first inscription on the Ordinals protocol. The term "cactusseeds" refers to a sub-sub inscription within the Ordinals hierarchy. The puzzle included coordinates "25138 / 29746" leading to Casey's location on the 2b2t Minecraft server, known for its chaotic environment. @Rhynohowl1 was the first to find Casey and claimed the "cactusseeds" as a reward. This player had little prior knowledge of Ordinals, and the opportunity arose from information shared by streamer riths and @Brunno_UTXO. @Rhynohowl1 listed the inscription on Magic Eden for 10 BTC, despite lower offers. Following the event, Casey promoted the inscription ecosystem, leading to increased value for another inscription, "MEMENTO•MORI."

AppWizard

October 3, 2024

Google bans popular Android app now you must delete it from your phone today

Security experts at Check Point Research have warned Android users to examine their smartphones and recently installed applications due to a malicious app that stole approximately £54,000 from users. The fraudulent application, disguised as WalletConnect, was available on the official Google Play Store for over five months and was downloaded around 10,000 times. It drained digital currencies, including NFTs, by exploiting the trusted WalletConnect service and using fake reviews to appear legitimate. The attackers employed phishing techniques and smart contracts to deceive users into authorizing fraudulent transactions. Although Google has removed the app, users are advised to delete it if they suspect they have downloaded it. This incident highlights the sophistication of cybercriminal tactics in the decentralized finance sector, emphasizing the need for users to be cautious about the applications they download.

AppWizard

September 28, 2024

Crypto Scam App Disguised as WalletConnect Steals $70K in Five-Month Campaign

Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a malicious Android application on the Google Play Store that has stolen approximately 0,000 in cryptocurrency from users over nearly five months. The app, disguised as the legitimate WalletConnect protocol, was identified by Check Point and had over 10,000 downloads due to fake reviews and consistent branding. Around 150 users are believed to have been affected, although not all who downloaded the app were targeted. The app operated under various names, including "Mestox Calculator" and "WalletConnect - Airdrop Wallet." It has since been removed from the Play Store but can still be accessed through third-party app stores. The malware, known as MS Drainer, prompts users to connect their wallets and authorize transactions, allowing attackers to withdraw funds. If victims do not revoke permissions, attackers can continue to drain assets from their wallets. Another malicious app, "Walletconnect | Web3Inbox," was also identified, which had over 5,000 downloads.

AppWizard

September 27, 2024

App installed from Google Play Store was a major scam ripping off 150 Android users

A fraudulent application named WalletConnect was discovered in the Google Play Store, designed to mislead web3 users by mimicking the legitimate WalletConnect protocol. The app, which gained over 10,000 installations, prompted users to connect their cryptocurrency wallets, leading them to authorize transactions that redirected them to a malicious website. This site collected sensitive information and executed token transfers from victims' wallets, marking the first instance of a "crypto drainer" targeting mobile device users. Despite Google Play Protect, the app remained on the Play Store for five months, resulting in approximately ,000 in stolen cryptocurrency before its removal. Users are advised to uninstall the app immediately.

AppWizard

July 8, 2024

Protocol Village: Hinkal, Instititutional-Grade Self-Custodial Protocol, Plans Launch of ‘Shared Privacy’

Celo has launched a layer-2 testnet called "Dango" on Ethereum, which is a fork of the Alfajores testnet. "Dango" allows for the bridging of WETH and ERC-20 tokens between Ethereum and Celo, introduces the concept of CELO token duality, and maintains key layer-1 features like Fee Abstraction and SocialConnect. The Alfajores testnet will be directly migrated for dApp developers to test once infrastructure providers have updated for the layer-2 integration.