Bitcoin, Ethereum-linked protocols lose $35 million in multiple attacks hours apart
The attacks hit Verus, B² Network and other cross-chain systems, showing how compromised keys, upgrade powers and validation checks can empty protocols without breaking the underlying cryptography.
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Summary
- In a six-hour span, at least three crypto bridges and cross-chain protocols were drained of more than $35 million, exposing recurring weaknesses in how these systems are designed and governed.
- Verus’s Ethereum bridge was exploited for about $7.54 million using the same contract path and bug class as a May hack, underscoring how unresolved flaws and redeposited funds left the system vulnerable to a second drain.
- The B² Network lost roughly $3.86 million after an attacker seized its staking contract’s upgrade authority, highlighting how compromised keys and permissions — not broken cryptography — remain the primary cause of major crypto thefts as AI-driven intrusion tools grow more capable.
The firm flagged that the attack reused the same bridge contract and entry path as an earlier hack, exploiting an identical class of bug. CoinDesk reported that earlier incident, an $11.5 million loss, in May.
