A wave of attacks aimed at Ledger hardware wallet owners is coming to light. Unfortunately, this offensive has not been limited to a few phishing emails — some customers are reporting ransom attempts and even death threats.
Ledger customers could be facing a miserable Christmas this year as a wave of attacks targeting them intensifies. These developments are following the massive data breach that involved the leaking of 270,000 Ledger customer emails, phone numbers, and physical addresses.
As reported by BeInCrypto, there has been an increased threat of SIM swapping, and some are already reporting to have been attacked;
Once an attacker has access to the victim’s phone, they are able to change passwords and access any 2FA security measures. Ultimately, this can lead to the bad actor stealing the entire contents of the hardware wallet.
Ledger Customers Report Death Threats
For some, the attacks have been even worse. According to a Reddit post, one victim was called and physically threatened by the attacker who knew that he owned a Ledger device.
“He demanded 10 XMR and said if it’s not sent by midnight, he will show up at my house, kidnap me, and ‘stab to death’ any relatives living at my address,”
Others have had emails from attackers revealing their address and threatening physical violence if a ransom is not paid.
Casa HODL founder Jameson Lopp, who has been a victim of a house attack himself, stated;
“A lot of people are rightfully upset with Ledger for leaking their personal data. These people should also be upset with themselves for leaking their personal data to Ledger in the first place.”
Efforts to play down the incident from the company have not gone unnoticed as memes such as these flood crypto social media;
All the company has managed was a feeble warning and advice to contact local authorities;
Those wondering if their email address has been leaked can visit HaveIBeenPwned to check.
Passing the Buck
BeInCrypto reported that Ledger CEO Pascal Gauthier was still on the defensive, appearing on the latest ‘What Bitcoin Did’ Podcast. Gauthier maintained that the hack does not affect the hardware, only people’s personal information. He has also said that there will be no reimbursement because “it would just kill the company.”
This is of no consolation whatsoever to people that are getting threatened with murder or have already had their cryptocurrencies drained from their wallets.
A potential class-action lawsuit against the company is already gathering momentum. Customers from around the globe are reporting their own tales of woe following the massive data leak.