Gemini, the crypto exchange led by the Winklevoss twins, has seen its users targeted by phishing attacks after the emails of 5.7 million users were stolen in a “third-party” data breach.
5.7 Million Gemini Users Targeted by Phishing Attacks
On Wednesday, December 14th, Gemini announced that the emails and phone numbers of 5.7 million users were stolen as a “result of an incident at a third-party vendor.” However, Gemini did not state the name of the party responsible for the data breach.
Gemini announced that the hacker did not gain full access to users’ phone numbers as certain numeric digits were obfuscated. Gemini also clarified that the leak did not include sensitive personal information such as names, addresses, and other Know Your Customer information.
While the hacker didn’t get access to this sensitive information, Gemini users have been the target of phishing campaigns. As such, Gemini has advised users to reset their emails, change their passwords, use two-factor authentication, and avoid scam emails.
Gemini Reported the Leak Late
Although Gemini has taken steps to protect its customers from phishing campaigns, users have reported that the exchange did not handle the leak properly, releasing the information after the breach.
Alleged reports of users receiving mysterious emails began surfacing on the Official Gemini Subreddit as early as October. Users have also taken the opportunity to slam Gemini for not handling the data breach well.
On the Flipside
- Gemini also confirmed that none of its systems were impacted by the data breach and all funds and customer accounts remain secure.
Why You Should Care
Phishing, a type of scam that involves sending a fraudulent message designed to trick a person into revealing sensitive information, is becoming prevalent in crypto.
Read about Gemini’s recent issue as part of the FTX contagion in:
Genesis’ Lending Arm, Gemini Earn, Halt Withdrawals as FTX Contagion Spreads
Binance has also been targeted in phishing attacks. Read below:
Binance CEO Warns Crypto Enthusiasts About Phishing Scams on Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL)