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Bitfinex Database Leak Rumors Debunked by CTO Paolo Ardoino
Bitfinex Chief Technology Officer Paolo Ardoino has refuted rumors suggesting that the crypto exchange recently fell victim to a database exploit. Reports over the weekend indicated a potential database leak containing 22,500 records of emails and passwords allegedly from Bitfinex users. However, Ardoino dismissed the alleged breach as likely fake, citing that only a small portion of the leaked data matched actual exchange users. He also emphasized that Bitfinex does not store passwords or 2FA secrets in plaintext.
Ardoino also raised doubts about the credibility of the hackers behind the claims, pointing out their failure to directly contact the exchange. He mentioned that the hacker group announced the breach on April 25, but Bitfinex was only informed of the incident shortly before the deadline. Ardoino remarked, “Different security researchers rushed to hype the breach. Yet from what we could gather, the hackers collected a database of emails/passwords likely from different crypto breaches. Most users unfortunately use the same email/passwords across multiple platforms.”
Despite the allegations, the CTO assured that Bitfinex will continue investigating the situation thoroughly to ensure no stone is left unturned.
Retraction of Bitfinex Database Leak Claim
Meanwhile, Alice from Shinoji Research, one of the accounts that initially spread the rumor about the Bitfinex database leak, has retracted their statement. In a tweet, Alice admitted, “Removed the original BFX hack post as I’m not able to edit it. What appears to have happened is this ‘Flocker’ group curated a list of BitFinex logins from other breaches. They then made the site look like a ransom demand for a major breach.”
Alice further revealed that the hackers leveraged the false rumors to create hype around their activities and attract potential investors for future hacks. “Instead, it seems the plan is to hype up their operation so that people can ‘invest’ in future hacks. They are probably not related to the real FLocker group from a few years ago,” Alice added.
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