ChainBleedv0.1 · open intel
← back to feed·PRIVATE-KEY2023-02-12 · 3y ago
Incident · SLOWMIST

Namecheap

Phishing Attack
Estimated loss
VERDICT —OUT OF SCOPE
Root cause is private-key / signer compromise — the on-chain contract behaved exactly as written. No pre-deployment source audit or bytecode review reaches the key-custody perimeter; this is operational-security territory (HSM/MPC hygiene, key rotation, hot-wallet isolation). Bytecode would show nothing wrong.
▰ METHOD
PRIVATE KEY
PRIVATE-KEY
Root cause

Root-cause analysis not yet published. The incident description below contains all currently available signal — review the attack transaction directly for definitive forensics.

Forensic narrative

The email account of domain name registrar Namecheap has been hacked and hackers are using the account to send phishing emails. According to a report by BleepingComputer, the phishing campaign originated from SendGrid, an email platform used by Namecheap to send marketing emails and renewal notifications. The phishing emails pretended to be from logistics provider DHL and cryptocurrency wallet MetaMask. The email posing as MetaMask stated that the recipient's account had been suspended and would need to complete a KYC verification process before it could be reactivated. The email also contained a Namecheap marketing link that redirected users to a fake MetaMask page that asked users to enter their seed phrase or private key, seeking to steal the recipient's personal information and cryptocurrency wallet assets. The official MetaMask response stated that MetaMask will not collect KYC information, nor will it send emails to users about their accounts. Attack method (per SlowMist): Phishing Attack. Reported loss: -.

Primary source
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/namecheaps-email-hacked-to-send-metamask-dhl-phishing-emails/
Sourced from
slowmist
Technical record
chain
protocol
Namecheap
bug_class
private-key
date_occurred
2023-02-12
loss_usd
source_id
sm:namecheap::2023-02-12
Related — same bug class· private-key
2026-04-30
1mo ago
MULTI
Wasabi Perps
Admin Key Compromised
private-key
$5.50M
OUT OF SCOPE
2026-04-30
1mo ago
ETH
Wasabi Protocol
Private Key Leakage
private-key
$5.70M
OUT OF SCOPE
2026-04-29
1mo ago
Syndicate Labs
Private Key Leakage
private-key
$380.0K
OUT OF SCOPE
2026-04-21
1mo ago
SUI
Volo Vault
Admin Key Compromised
private-key
$3.50M
OUT OF SCOPE
2026-04-21
1mo ago
SUI
Volo Vaults
Private Key Leakage
private-key
$3.50M
OUT OF SCOPE
2026-04-16
1mo ago
MULTI
Grinex
Hot wallet hack
private-key
$15.00M
OUT OF SCOPE
ChainBleed — live web3 threat intelligence