An independent examiner has revealed shocking details surrounding the inner workings of Celsius – a crypto lender that filed for bankruptcy in July 2022. The examiner claimed that Celsius did not operate by the business model that it presented to customers. He likened it to a Ponzi scheme, much like FTX – a company that happened to have used the same accounting software: QuickBooks. The Truth About CEL Token Per a filing from examiner Shoba Pillay on Tuesday, Celsius had…
What is a Crypto Dusting Attack?
In a crypto dusting attack, an attacker sends very small amounts of cryptocurrency, usually in the form of dust, to a large number of addresses. The goal is to make it difficult for the recipients to determine the funds’ source and potentially compromise their privacy by linking their cryptocurrency addresses to their identities.
Here is an example of how a crypto dusting attack works:
- First, the attacker creates a large list of cryptocurrency addresses by scraping them from the internet or using a tool to generate many random addresses.
- The attacker sends very small amounts of cryptocurrency, usually just a few cents worth, to each address on the list.
- The recipients of the dust may not even notice the small amounts of cryptocurrency they have received, especially if they are not actively checking their balances.
- However, the attacker can use the dusting transactions to link the recipients’ addresses to their identity by watching for the dust to be spent or using other techniques to de-anonymize the addresses.
- Once the attacker has linked the addresses to the recipients’ identity, they may be able to track their transactions and potentially compromise their privacy.
How to Protect Yourself Against a Crypto Dusting Attack
Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself against a crypto dusting attack:
- Be aware: Stay informed about the latest threats and trends in cryptocurrency, and pay attention to any small amounts of cryptocurrency you may receive.
- Use a new address for each transaction: Using a new one for each transaction can make it more difficult for attackers to link your identity to your addresses. You can use a tool like a cryptocurrency wallet to generate a new address for each transaction.
- Use a hardware wallet: A hardware wallet is a physical device that stores your cryptocurrency offline, making it much more difficult for attackers to access your funds.
- Use a privacy-focused cryptocurrency: Some cryptocurrencies, such as Monero, place a greater emphasis on privacy and anonymity than others. By using these cryptocurrencies, you can make it more difficult for attackers to track your transactions and link them to your identity.
- Use a privacy-enhancing tool: There are tools available that can help to enhance your privacy when using cryptocurrency. For example, you can use a privacy-focused wallet or a tool like a coin mixer, which can help obscure your cryptocurrency’s origin.