7,000 MetaMask Users Targeted in Security Breach, ConsenSys Says
Fraudsters targeted one of MetaMask’s third-party service providers to gain access to personal data such as email addresses
sdx15/Shutterstock modified by Blockworks
Thousands of MetaMask users who contacted customer support over an 18 month period were targeted in a personal data breach, ConsenSys said Friday.
An estimated 7,000 individuals had private information, such as email addresses, compromised between August 2021 and February 2023, the blockchain software firm said in a blog post. MetaMask’s browser extension and mobile app users were not impacted, according to ConsenSys.
Fraudsters targeted a third party service provider MetaMask uses to create customer support tickets, ConsenSys said, which is how the personal data was seized.
“The incident occurred when unauthorized actors gained access to the third-party service provider’s systems,” ConsenSys said in the post. “As a result of this incident, MetaMask users who submitted personal data to our customer support may have had that data accessed by an unauthorised third party.”
Compromised data mostly includes “limited” personal information needed to identify customers for support needs, the company said, but users could have shared additional information in the chat function that was seized.
ConsenSys has stopped the unauthorized access, it said, and the threat is no longer ongoing. Affected users may be targeted in future phishing scams however, the company acknowledged, noting that customers should be aware of potential threats.
“As always, we ask that you be extremely vigilant for any suspicious activity and unsolicited contacts which may be made to you by phone, text, email or instant message,” the post said. “If you are suspicious of any request or message, do not open it and do not reply or click any links but delete it.”
The security breach comes as users report a rise in crypto-related phishing attempts and schemes. There was a 40% increase in phishing attacks in 2022 year-over-year, according to data from cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab.
ConsenSys reported the incident to the Data Protection Commission of Ireland and the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK, it said.
Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:
- The Breakdown: Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily.
- 0xResearch: Alpha in your inbox. Think like an analyst.
- Empire: Crypto news and analysis to start your day.
- Forward Guidance: The intersection of crypto, macro and policy.
- The Drop: Apps, games, memes and more.
- Lightspeed: All things Solana.
- Supply Shock: Bitcoin, bitcoin, bitcoin.
