Layer-1 network Avalanche and layer-2 blockchain ZKsync have both reported exploits on their official Discord servers less than 48 hours after the Polygon Discord breach.
On August 25, Avalanche's official account on X announced that its Discord server had been compromised, urging users to avoid clicking any links. Screenshots shared by Avalanche Discord members on X revealed that the attackers posted links to fraudulent “distribution” schemes, falsely promising free AVAX tokens to holders and community members.
Shortly after the initial exploit, Avalanche's community lead, Ben Well, confirmed that the team had “found” the issue and resolved it, stating they were working to restore normal operations on the server.
Only an hour after the Avalanche incident, the ZKsync Discord server was also reportedly compromised. Hackers posted malicious links promoting a fake “round 2 airdrop” scheme for free ZK tokens. While ZKsync has not officially commented on the exploit on X, several team members acknowledged the breach on Discord.
These attacks on Avalanche and ZKsync closely follow the compromise of Polygon's official Discord server, where hackers disseminated malicious links. Polygon's Chief Information Security Officer, Mudit Gupta, confirmed the breach, advising users to refrain from clicking on any links until the issue is fully resolved. One user, ValidatorK, reported losing $150,000 worth of Ether after interacting with what seemed to be an official announcement on Polygon's Discord.
These incidents are part of a growing trend of Discord-related exploits. On March 25, 2023, blockchain security firm CertiK reported a phishing scam on the Arbitrum Discord server, believed to be the result of a hacked developer account. Similarly, on May 5, the Gnus.AI artificial intelligence network suffered a Discord exploit, leading to a loss of approximately $1.27 million.
The recent breaches highlight the increasing vulnerabilities of blockchain-related communities on Discord and the urgent need for enhanced security measures.
