The official X account of Decentraland, a virtual reality platform, has been hacked, with attackers advertising a fake MANA token airdrop.
On September 19, PeckShield alerted the public in a post on X that Decentraland’s official account had been compromised.
Details of the Breach
The blockchain security firm urged users to avoid interacting with the account, advising against clicking attached links or engaging with its content. PeckShield also recommended that the crypto community wait for further updates from Decentraland’s social media channels to confirm the account’s security has been restored.
The attackers reportedly spread a phishing link disguised as an airdrop for the platform’s native MANA token to deceive followers.
The link allegedly directed users to a website where they were prompted to claim the airdrop by connecting their crypto wallets. However, once connected, the users’ funds were compromised, leaving them vulnerable to financial losses.
The phishing scam, which began early on September 19 at 01:50 a.m. UTC, tricked those who fell for it into thinking they were receiving a legitimate airdrop.
The offending post was pinned on Decentraland’s X account, ensuring that as many people as possible saw it. Furthermore, in a diabolical attempt to make the scam appear credible, the attackers turned off comments on the post, ironically claiming they had done so due to “malicious links.”
Solana Meme Coin Scam
This type of social media breach is part of a growing trend. Just a day earlier, on September 18, multiple high-profile X accounts were hacked, including those of brands and celebrities. The bad actors used the hijacked accounts to promote a scam involving a Solana meme coin called HACKED.
Among the profiles targeted were Lenovo India, film director Oliver Stone, Yahoo News UK, and Brazilian soccer player Neymar Jr. The hackers posted tweets advertising the dodgy coin, claiming, “INTRODUCING $HACKED ON SOLANA” and promising to publish the token address on each hacked account to “pump it and make profits together.”
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT reported that the meme coin’s trading volume was minimal, with hackers likely only profiting around $8,000 from the operation despite the attack’s wide reach.
Dexscreener data also revealed that HACKED generated just $279,000 in total trading volume and currently holds a market cap of only $2,600, following a 35% price drop in the hour before this writing.
ZachXBT mentioned that the exploiters likely spent between five and six figures on the operation, resulting in a financial loss. “Strong contender for most incompetent hacker of the year,” remarked the analyst.
He also advised users to check their X account settings regularly and revoke permissions for any connected apps they no longer use, as these apps may provide entry points for hackers.
