Amid a steady rise of crypto-related exploits in the weeks leading up to April, Trust Wallet was forced to confront a vulnerability of its own. For weeks, Trust Wallet had been aware of a vulnerability in its open-source library that put users’ funds at risk but had elected to keep it under wraps. On April 22nd, Trust Wallet announced that the vulnerability had been patched and a reimbursement system implemented for those users whose funds had been stolen.
Securing Private Keys: Trust Wallet’s Response to Vulnerability
It all began in November of 2022, when a security researcher alerted the Trust Wallet team of the vulnerability in its open-source library that exposed private keys to a security risk. After secretly working to fix the problem and mitigate potential losses, Trust Wallet elected to mobilize its notification system and contact affected users.
The project team deployed multiple rounds of mobile push notifications and in-app warnings, directing users to transfer their funds to uncompromised wallets. The team also partnered with crypto exchange Binance to contact users who had funds that could be traced back to the exchange. In the end, two users fell victim to this vulnerability and sustained losses totaling $170,000.
Trust Wallet: Reimbursing Gas Fees to Protect Users’ Funds
Reimbursement was a major priority for Trust Wallet following the breach, and to that end, the company not only offered customer support, but also offered to “reimburse gas fees to users transferring their funds to uncompromised wallets.” In total, Trust Wallet reimbursed nearly 23.6 BNB of gas fees, or around $7,700.
Trust Wallet said it had delayed going public with the vulnerability in order to protect users’ funds. Though the company had prepared an advisory for November, it chose to wait as it weighed the value of informing the public against the possibility of highlighting a security hole that could still be used. The project eventually issued a public warning in April.
Secure One-on-One Communication: Reimbursing Users and Building Trust
“We believed that confidential, one-on-one communication with users would enable users to take the necessary actions without sacrificing their assets’ sole ownership,” said Trust Wallet.
The disclosure of the Trust Wallet vulnerability is a reminder that even the most sophisticated projects are not immune to attack. Keeping users informed of security risks–and offering reimbursement when necessary—is key to safeguarding crypto users’ funds and earning their trust.
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