Mixin Network Hack

Reported loss $200M
Mixin
Database Attack

What happened

Mixin Network reported that an attack on its cloud service provider's database on September 23, 2023, Hong Kong time, caused losses involving approximately $200 million in mainnet assets. The company temporarily suspended deposits and withdrawals and sought investigation assistance from Google and SlowMist.

Technical root cause

The disclosed failure involved the database of a third-party cloud service provider. The reviewed accounts do not establish the initial access method, the database vulnerability, or how the compromise enabled control of the affected assets. They therefore do not prove a specific private-key extraction mechanism or a flaw in Mixin's consensus or smart-contract code.

How it happened

  1. According to Mixin's announcement, attackers targeted its cloud service provider's database on September 23, 2023, Hong Kong time.
  2. Mixin reported a resulting loss of mainnet assets involving approximately $200 million, without publicly establishing the exact path from database access to asset theft in the reviewed sources.
  3. Elliptic identified ETH, BTC and USDT among the stolen funds and observed stolen USDT being exchanged for DAI through Uniswap.
  4. Mixin temporarily suspended deposits and withdrawals while the incident was investigated.

Protocol details

Classification Infrastructure / Other / Frontend & Infrastructure
Protocol Type Exploit/Other
Protocol links Website @MixinKernel

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