BitKeep CEO says some users’ private keys remain at risk after exploit

According to a letter posted on Chinese blockchain news publisher Odaily.com on Dec. 27, Kevin Como, the anonymous CEO of BitKeep, warned that users’ private keys are still at risk after a security incident on Dec. 26 led to over $13 million in losses at the time of publication. BitKeep is one of the more popular noncustodial, decentralized finance multichain wallets with over 6 million users. Specifically, Como wrote:

“This was a large and atrocious hacker attack incident. The BitKeep APK 7.2.9 (Android Package Kit) installation package was hijacked and swapped by the hacker, and as a result, some users already installed the APKs that were planted malware by the hackers, leading to a leak of users’ private keys.”

Como urged users who had already downloaded the Android APK 7.2.9. to transfer their digital assets to a new wallet. “It is probable that [these wallets] already had their private keys leaked,” the crypto executive wrote.

In terms of progress, Como explained that the BitKeep team has already been in contact with blockchain security firms, such as SlowMist, to trace the stolen funds. “We have actively collected information about users’ stolen assets, made a complete recollection of hacking procedures and timeline, and have collected evidence of the Android 7.2.9 APK malware,” he stated.

Web3 data analytics firm OKLink first reported yesterday that the attacker set up several fake BitKeep websites that contained an APK file that looked like version 7.2.9 of the BitKeep wallet. Users who downloaded and interacted with the malicious file then had their private keys or seed words stolen and sent to the attacker.