The Iranian Nobitex exchange has faced a serious cyberattack, resulting in the theft of over $48 million in USDT. The attack was claimed by the group Gonjeshke Darande, known for high-profile cyberattacks.
The Motive Behind the Attack: Political?
The group Gonjeshke Darande, which took responsibility for the attack, has a history of high-impact cyberattacks in Iran. They previously disabled 70% of gas stations in the country and targeted Bank Sepah, linked to the military. In their post about the attack, they stated:
"After the IRGC's Bank Sepah comes the turn of Nobitex... In 24 hours, we will release Nobitex's source code and internal information from their internal network. Any assets that remain there after that point will be at risk!"
They accused Nobitex of helping the Iranian regime bypass international sanctions and finance terrorism, even claiming that working at Nobitex is so critical to the regime that it counts as military service.
Nobitex Responds: Funds Will Be Recovered
Nobitex's team confirmed the breach. In a post on platform X, they reported unauthorized access to one of their hot wallets:
"We would like to remind you that users' assets are completely secure according to cold storage standards. All damages will be compensated through the insurance fund and Nobitex resources."
The platform remains offline as the team investigates the extent of the attack.
A Bigger Warning for Crypto Infrastructure
This incident is not an isolated case. Crypto exchanges are becoming soft targets in geopolitical conflicts, especially in unstable regions like the Middle East. Blockchain expert ZachXBT noted:
"The Iranian crypto exchange 'Nobitex' appears to have been exploited for $48.65M on Tron after suspicious outflows were observed from many wallets linked to them."
Cryptocurrency is being used as both a target and a means of political messaging. As politically charged cyberattacks increase, exchanges may need to rethink their definitions of security.
The Nobitex hack highlights the growing risks faced by crypto exchanges amid global political instability. It is important to monitor the situation as it develops.