Originally published on: December 12, 2024
In a shocking turn of events, a hacker recently took advantage of a critical vulnerability in the Dogecoin network, ultimately leading to the crash of 69% of its nodes. The incident, which occurred on Dec. 12, was brought to light by Andreas Kohl, a co-founder of Bitcoin sidechain Sequentia.
Using nothing more than an old laptop in El Salvador, Kohl managed to exploit the vulnerability, revealing a major weakness in the popular cryptocurrency. Prior to the attack, Dogecoin boasted 647 active nodes, a number that plummeted to 315 in the aftermath.
Kohl attributed the success of the attack to a vulnerability uncovered by researcher Tobias Ruck, who had previously raised concerns about the network’s security. Known as the “DogeReaper,” this vulnerability allowed anyone to remotely crash a Dogecoin node, effectively disrupting the entire network.
Described as similar to a famous Japanese manga and anime “Death Note,” the DogeReaper flaw could spell disaster for the network if harnessed by malicious actors. The potential for a complete network shutdown was a real threat, with Kohl emphasizing the magnitude of the vulnerability and its implications.
While the severity of the vulnerability was debated, with Coinbase deeming it low-risk, the incident serves as a cautionary tale for the crypto community. As the world of digital currencies continues to evolve, ensuring network security remains a top priority to safeguard against such attacks.
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