Jake Gallen, who runs the non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Emblem Vault, has alerted the crypto community about a scam that cost him over $100,000 in digital assets.
The attack was carried out by a group called “ELUSIVE COMET”, and it began during a video call arranged through Zoom.
On April 11, Gallen posted on X that his computer had been fully compromised, which led to the loss of Bitcoin
$85,407.48
and Ethereum
$1,625.92
from multiple wallets. He later added that he was working with a cybersecurity company, The Security Alliance (SEAL), to investigate the situation.
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SEAL had already been tracking ELUSIVE COMET, which they said targets crypto users through social tricks and malware.
The scam started when Gallen received a message from a verified X account that claimed to be the founder of a crypto mining project. Gallen agreed to a Zoom interview with the person, and during the call, the scammer convinced Gallen to install malware on his device, which SEAL later identified as “GOOPDATE”.
The malware gave the attacker access to Gallen’s computer and let them steal login details and crypto wallet information.
Gallen explained that this worked because Zoom allows the host of a call to request remote access from other participants—and that setting is turned on by default unless manually changed.
The hackers also got into Gallen’s Ledger wallet—even though he said he had only logged into it a few times over the past three years and had never stored the password digitally.
Meanwhile, KiloEX, a decentralized crypto trading platform, recently suffered a $7.5 million loss due to a security breach. How did the team respond? Read the full story.
Having completed a Master’s degree in Economics, Politics, and Cultures of the East Asia region, Aaron has written scientific papers analyzing the differences between Western and Collective forms of capitalism in the post-World War II era.With close to a decade of experience in the FinTech industry, Aaron understands all of the biggest issues and struggles that crypto enthusiasts face. He’s a passionate analyst who is concerned with data-driven and fact-based content, as well as that which speaks to both Web3 natives and industry newcomers.Aaron is the go-to person for everything and anything related to digital currencies. With a huge passion for blockchain & Web3 education, Aaron strives to transform the space as we know it, and make it more approachable to complete beginners.Aaron has been quoted by multiple established outlets, and is a published author himself. Even during his free time, he enjoys researching the market trends, and looking for the next supernova.
