ChainBleedv0.1 · open intel
← back to feed·PRIVATE-KEY2023-12-13 · 2y ago
Incident · SLOWMIST

OKX

Private Key Leakage
Estimated loss
$2.70M
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

According to information from SlowMist Zone, the OKX DEX contract appears to have encountered an issue. After SlowMist's analysis, it was found that when users exchange, they authorize the TokenApprove contract, and the DEX contract transfers the user's tokens by calling the TokenApprove contract. The DEX contract has a claimTokens function that allows a trusted DEX Proxy to make calls, with its functionality being to invoke the claimTokens function of the TokenApprove contract to transfer tokens authorized by the user. The trusted DEX Proxy is managed by the Proxy Admin, and the Proxy Admin Owner can upgrade the DEX Proxy contract through the Proxy Admin. On December 12, 2023, at 22:23:47, the Proxy Admin Owner upgraded the DEX Proxy contract to a new implementation contract through the Proxy Admin. The new implementation contract's functionality is to directly call the claimTokens function of the DEX contract to transfer tokens. Subsequently, attackers began calling the DEX Proxy to steal tokens. The Proxy Admin Owner upgraded the contract again at 23:53:59 on December 12, 2023, with similar functionality, and continued stealing tokens after the upgrade. This attack may be a result of the Proxy Admin Owner's private key being leaked. Currently, the DEX Proxy has been removed from the trusted list. Attack method (per SlowMist): Private Key Leakage. Reported loss: $ 2,700,000.

Primary source
https://web3isgoinggreat.com/?id=okx-dex-hack
Sourced from
slowmist
Technical record
chain
protocol
OKX
bug_class
private-key
date_occurred
2023-12-13
loss_usd
$2,700,000
source_id
sm:okx::2023-12-13
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