Blowfish found new Solana drainers, ‘Aqua’ and ‘Vanish,’ capable of stealing cryptocurrency by changing transaction conditions post-approval. However, this underscores growing blockchain cyber threats, stressing the need for better security.
Surge In Solana Drainers
The revelation of Aqua and Vanish has raised the alarm within the Solana network. Additionally, these drainers operate by utilizing the authority granted to decentralized applications (dApps) to submit transactions on behalf of users. Through the alteration of a conditional in the transaction data, these drainers are capable of transitioning from sending to draining SOL from the account of the victimized user. Consequently, this bit-flip attack method has become a lethal weapon in the possession of hackers focusing on the Solana network.
The Spread of Scam-as-a-Service
Blowfish’s inquiry demonstrates that Aqua and Vanish scripts are vended in SaaS (scam-as-a-service) tool marketplaces, which enables the threat to execute these stealers without profound technical expertise. The commercialization of cybercrime tools has resulted in an increase in the number of attacks aimed at cryptocurrency users, with Solana emerging as the primary target alongside its burgeoning popularity. According to Chainalysis, a substantial community is formed for a Solana wallet drainer kit consisting of over 6,000 individuals, showcasing the pervasive nature of the threat.
Solana: Drainer Dangers & Prevention Efforts
In response to the identification of Aqua and Vanish, Blowfish has deployed defenses crafted to thwart these two drainers automatically. Additionally, they are closely monitoring on-chain activity for suspicious behaviors. Nonetheless, the challenge remains significant since threat actors continuously innovate new techniques and methods to evade security measures.
Moreover, the involvement of Russian developers in the creation and distribution of these drainers, which typically feature Russian documentation in them, lends an international dimension to the cybersecurity challenges of the Solana community. Furthermore, the broader blockchain security community is mobilizing to tackle this emerging peril. In this regard, Wallet Guard is tailored for users who wish to safeguard themselves against such attacks, as the latter typically commence with phishing attempts. By leveraging social engineering techniques, the attackers entice victims to counterfeit DeFi platforms that resemble legitimate ones and prompt them to authorize malicious transactions.
