Connext Airdrop Marred by $38K Sybil Bot Attack

As many as 57,000 unique wallets registered for the airdrop.

AccessTimeIconSep 5, 2023 at 3:02 p.m. UTC

Connext Network, a protocol that interacts with native blockchain bridges to optimize security, is the subject of intense scrutiny after one wallet appears to have exploited the protocol's native token airdrop with a so-called sybil attack.

The wallet in question, created just four hours before the airdrop for NEXT went live, was able to filter more than 200 claims to itself through multiple wallets. The airdrop was restricted to one claim per wallet. This strategy, known as a sybil attack, involves creating numerous wallets that are eligible to claim the airdrop before instantly selling the tokens for profit.

  • What Do EigenLayer's Outflows of $2.3B Signal?
    00:57
    What Do EigenLayer's Outflows of $2.3B Signal?
  • What Do TradFi Crypto Moves Mean for Decentralization?
    04:20
    What Do TradFi Crypto Moves Mean for Decentralization?
  • Marathon Digital Buys $100M BTC; India's Special Task Force for Crypto-Related Drug Trafficking
    02:02
    Marathon Digital Buys $100M BTC; India's Special Task Force for Crypto-Related Drug Trafficking
  • Ether Slides as Grayscale's ETHE Outflows Ramp Up
    00:53
    Ether Slides as Grayscale's ETHE Outflows Ramp Up
  • According to Debank, the wallet has been steadily converted NEXT tokens into tether (USDT) and ether (ETH), racking up around $38,000 in profit shortly after the airdrop went live.

    The wallet reportedly spammed a high number of requests that subsequently took the airdrop user interface offline, according to Connext founding contributor Arjun Bhuptani, who confirmed that it was a sybil attack.

    As many as 57,000 unique wallets registered for the airdrop, Bhuptani added.

    Edited by Sheldon Reback.

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Oliver Knight

    Oliver Knight is a CoinDesk reporter based between London and Lisbon. He does not own any crypto.