In a surprising turn of events, Terra, the renowned blockchain that collapsed in May last year, has found itself in the midst of a security crisis. The platform's website fell victim to a sophisticated phishing attack that has left users vulnerable to potential threats.
According to a statement issued on X (formerly Twitter) today (Monday), the attackers managed to compromise Terra's website and have since attempted to initiate phishing scams that could potentially compromise users' information. Thus, the official Terra's account has issued a cautionary advisory statement, urging users to remain vigilant and exercise caution when interacting with the website.
"To avoid potential phishing scams, please continue to avoid interacting with sites with the terra(dot)money domain until we post another update confirming full access," Terra wrote.
Terra Navigates Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks are usually orchestrated by hackers who manipulate web pages to embed malicious code within users' wallets. Once a user unknowingly connects their wallets to a compromised page, they inadvertently sign a digital wallet that grants the hackers access to assets stored within that wallet.
The recent security concerns not only jeopardize Terra's immediate security but have also cast a shadow over its tumultuous history. Notably, the Terra blockchain played a pivotal role in the cryptocurrency downturn of 2022, triggered by the collapse of its native algorithmic stablecoin, TerraUSD. This event sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency market, resulting in a staggering USD $60 billion loss in market value.
The latest security breach followed close on the heels of a recent request by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to question one of the co-founders of Terraform Labs. The agency aims to interrogate Daniel Shin, alleged to be one of the key figures in the unfolding saga that led to the collapse of the blockchain and gather crucial evidence from the payments company, Chai Corp.
Cross-Border Legal Pursuit
According to a report by Bloomberg, this move was enabled by a US judge's ruling, allowing the SEC to employ a process outlined by a 1970 treaty that governs international requests for evidence. The aim is reportedly to build a stronger case against Terraform Labs and its former CEO, Do Kwon, who is currently serving a sentence in Montenegro.
Terraform Labs, the entity behind the algorithmic stablecoin linked to the USD, TerraUSD, is facing a lawsuit by the SEC. The agency has charged the company and its Co-Founder, Do-Kwon with fraud. The SEC contends that Terraform Labs and Kwon were at the helm of an illegal operation, running a fraudulent scheme from April 2018 until the project's downfall in May 2022.