In a dramatic turn of events, the hacker who stole $9.57 million from zkLend has allegedly fallen victim to a scam, losing 2,930 ETH.
The zkLend Hack
The hack on the Starknet-based protocol zkLend occurred in February, resulting in a theft of over $9.5 million. The exploiter exploited a decimal precision vulnerability, manipulating lending accumulators to artificially inflate the balance. Post-theft, zkLend attempted to negotiate with the hacker for the return of 3,300 ETH in exchange for a 10% bounty, but the hacker remained silent.
Legitimacy Concerns: A Staged Disappearance?
Despite reports of a phishing attack, many in the crypto community doubted its authenticity. Some suggest the hacker fabricated the incident to avoid further scrutiny. On X, users speculated that the hacker and phisher might be the same person. However, zkLend treats the phishing incident as legitimate, noting the lack of conclusive evidence linking the phishing site to the hacker.
Reactions and Implications
Reactions on X were mixed, with some sarcastically noting the suspicious timing of the announcement. Others believe it was an attempt to evade pressure from investigations. Despite the skepticism, zkLend continues to work with security firms to recover the stolen funds.
The zkLend hacker's story remains ambiguous. Though a phishing attack was reported, many speculate it might be staged. Meanwhile, zkLend is actively working with security agencies to recover the funds.
