🎁 Ace quick missions & earn crypto rewards while gaining real-world Web3 skills. JOIN NOW! 🔥

Ethereum Developer Hacked by Fake Extension on Cursor AI

Key Takeaways

  • ​Ethereum developer Zak Cole lost wallet access after installing a fake Cursor AI extension that stole his private key;
  • The malicious tool looked legitimate, with more than 54,000 downloads and a detailed description;
  • The extension is still live on Cursor AI, linked to a $500,000 theft campaign flagged by cybersecurity sources.

Ace quick missions & earn crypto rewards while gaining real-world Web3 skills. Participate Now! 🔥

Ethereum Developer Hacked by Fake Extension on Cursor AI

Zak Cole, a developer on Ethereum ETH $4,757.90 , has lost access to one of his crypto wallets after unknowingly installing a harmful browser extension.

Cole explained in an August 12 post on X that the issue began when he added an extension called "contractshark.solidity-lang" to his setup through Cursor AI.

This extension appeared safe, since it had a detailed description, a familiar icon, and had already been downloaded over 54,000 times.

Crypto Token VS Coin (Animated Explainer & Examples)

Did you know?

Want to get smarter & wealthier with crypto?

Subscribe - We publish new crypto explainer videos every week!

However, after installation, the software quietly accessed Cole’s local environment file. Within minutes, his private key was copied and sent to someone else.

The extension then allowed the attacker to access Cole’s wallet for three days. On August 10, all the funds in that wallet were removed. Cole explained that he had been working to finalize a smart contract when he added the tool, which led to the oversight.

Despite the breach, Cole did not lose much money. He only stores small amounts in easily accessible wallets used for testing, while his main assets are protected with hardware devices.

His investigation led him to reports from cybersecurity sources like Kaspersky and BleepingComputer, which linked the same extension to a larger theft campaign that has taken more than $500,000 from different victims.

As of now, the extension is still available on Cursor AI’s marketplace, and the publisher remains listed as a trusted source.

Koi Security recently reported that a cybercrime group named GreedyBear has stolen more than $1 million in cryptocurrency. How? Read the full story.

Aaron S. Editor-In-Chief
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.

Loading...
binance
×
Verified

CLAIM $100 BONUS

Changelly Welcome Reward
Rating
5.0