Sebastian Sinclair

<div id="highlights-block_625dbcbbd85d4" class="highlights">
        <ul>
                <li>The wallet app is asking users to disable iCloud backups for MetaMask by going into Settings &gt; Profile &gt; iCloud &gt; Manage Storage &gt; Backups</li>
                <li>MetaMask&#8217;s response has drawn criticism from community members</li>
            </ul>
    
</div>



<p>Crypto wallet MetaMask issued a warning advising users to disable their iCloud backups following an exploit of Apple&#8217;s service in an estimated $650,000 phishing scam.</p>



<p>The DeFi wallet provider said Sunday users who have iCloud enabled for iPhone application data were susceptible to hackers because the backups include their password-encrypted MetaMask vault.</p>



<p>&#8220;If your password isn’t strong enough and someone phishes your iCloud credentials, this can mean stolen funds,&#8221; MetaMask <a href="https://twitter.com/MetaMask/status/1515727239391809536" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tweeted</a>.</p>



<p>The company did not immediately return a request for comment.</p>



<p>In one such phishing attack, hackers drained an estimated $650,000 from NFT investor Domenic Iacovone&#8217;s OpenSea account, including several Mutant Ape Yacht Club collectibles, on April 14.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hey y’all, let’s see how amazing this community can be. My entire wallet was just stolen. Totally wiped out, <br><br>MAYC 28478, MAYC 8952, MAYC 7536<br><br>Gutter cat 2280 , 2769, 2325<br>Also stole 100k in ape coin. <br>Looking for all the help I can get. <br><br>100kreward  <a href="https://twitter.com/BoredApeYC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BoredApeYC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GutterCatGang?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GutterCatGang</a></p>&mdash; Domenic Iacovone (@revive_dom) <a href="https://twitter.com/revive_dom/status/1514751885126914051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>&#8220;Got a phone call from Apple, literally from Apple (on my caller Id) called it back because I suspected fraud and it was an Apple number,&#8221; Iacovone <a href="https://twitter.com/revive_dom/status/1514752274471473152?s=20&amp;t=Mz55J5At86ofD9lN1ccoLA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tweeted</a>. &#8220;So I believed them, they asked for a code that was sent to my phone and two seconds later my entire MetaMask was wiped.&#8221;</p>



<p>MetaMask&#8217;s response has drawn criticism from community members who argue the backup feature used in iCloud should either be disabled or made tougher for hackers seeking a way into users&#8217; digital wallets.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">100% metamask will need to fix that shite <a href="https://t.co/M9E3DBt8p5">https://t.co/M9E3DBt8p5</a></p>&mdash; Br Br the podcast Snek (@bryanbrake) <a href="https://twitter.com/bryanbrake/status/1515767252292812801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2022</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>MetaMask parent ConsenSys in February said it was looking to <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/onboarding-the-next-wave-of-metamask-users-through-nfts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">leverage NFTs</a> (non-fungible tokens) as a means to onboard more users to its digital wallet while building out a white-label NFT platform.</p>



<p>While efforts are being made on that front, critics argue cases like Iacovone&#8217;s demonstrate ConsenSys&#8217; need to improve security if it aims to bring on the &#8220;next wave&#8221; of wallet users.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p><strong>Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/thebreakdown"><strong>The Breakdown</strong></a>: Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily.</li>



<li><a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire"><strong>Empire</strong></a>: Crypto news and analysis to start your day.</li>



<li><a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/forwardguidance"><strong>Forward Guidance</strong></a>: The intersection of crypto, macro and policy.</li>



<li><a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/0xresearch"><strong>0xResearch</strong></a>: Alpha directly in your inbox.</li>



<li><a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed"><strong>Lightspeed</strong></a>: All things Solana.</li>



<li><a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/thedrop"><strong>The Drop</strong></a>: Apps, games, memes and more.</li>



<li><a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/supplyshock"><strong>Supply Shock</strong></a>: Bitcoin, bitcoin, bitcoin.</li>
</ul>
