Avalanche and ZKsync Discord Servers Hit by Exploits: A Growing Trend of Cyber Attacks

Avalanche and ZKsync Discord Compromised: Exploits Follow Polygon’s Recent Breach

Avalanche and ZKsync Discord Compromised – In a troubling sequence of events, the official Discord servers for Layer-1 network Avalanche and Layer-2 blockchain ZKsync have been targeted by exploits, less than 48 hours after a similar breach compromised Polygon’s Discord server.

Avalanche Discord Server Breached

On August 25, 2024, Avalanche reported on X (formerly Twitter) that its official Discord server had been compromised. The post advised users to avoid interacting with or clicking on any links shared within the server. According to screenshots shared by Avalanche community members, attackers posted fraudulent links claiming to offer free AVAX tokens through bogus “distribution” schemes. Avalanche’s community lead, Ben Well, confirmed that the issue was identified and resolved within an hour, and efforts were underway to restore normal server operations.

ZKsync Discord Server Targeted

Just one hour after the Avalanche exploit, ZKsync’s official Discord server was also reportedly breached. Hackers shared malicious links promoting a fake “round 2 airdrop” of ZK tokens, attempting to deceive users into claiming nonexistent rewards. While ZKsync has not yet officially addressed the incident on X, several team members have acknowledged the compromise on Discord.

Polygon Discord Breach and Financial Losses

The attacks on Avalanche and ZKsync follow a similar incident involving Polygon’s Discord server, which was compromised just days earlier. Hackers had shared malicious links throughout Polygon’s server, leading to significant concerns among users. Mudit Gupta, Polygon’s Chief Information Security Officer, confirmed the breach and cautioned users to avoid clicking on any links until the issue is fully resolved. ValidatorK, a user, reported a loss of $150,000 worth of Ether (ETH) after interacting with what appeared to be an official announcement on Polygon’s Discord channel.

Rising Trend of Discord Exploits

These recent attacks highlight a growing trend of Discord-related exploits targeting the crypto community. On March 25, 2023, blockchain security firm CertiK uncovered a phishing scam on the Arbitrum Discord server. This scam, believed to have been executed through a compromised developer account, involved a fake announcement containing a malicious link.

Similarly, on May 5, 2023, the Gnus.AI artificial intelligence network fell victim to a Discord exploit, resulting in a significant financial loss estimated at $1.27 million.

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