Analysis of Web3 Data Leakage Incidents and Protective Measures

In recent years, cyber security threats have been escalating, and the Web3 ecosystem is facing unique attack risks. This article will analyze the types and impacts of Web3 data breach incidents and propose corresponding protection recommendations.

Classification of Data Breach Incidents

Web3 security incidents can be mainly divided into two categories:

1. Exploiting protocol vulnerabilities: Attackers exploit vulnerabilities in smart contract code to gain economic benefits, usually occurring and ending within a short period of time.

2. Network Intrusion: Attackers infiltrate the internal network of the target organization to steal company data or funds, potentially causing long-term risks.

Among 74 Web3 security incidents, approximately 31% resulted in retrievable data loss, including sensitive data such as personal identification information. Such incidents have significantly increased since 2019.

Data Leakage Destination

Stolen data often appears in the following channels:

• Dark Web Market
• Telegram Channel
• Online hacker forums like Raid, Breach, etc.

Recently, hacker forums have been targeted by law enforcement, and several major forums have been shut down. However, dark web markets remain active, with approximately 43% of data breach incidents still having sales information available on the dark web.

Long-term Risk Assessment

Compared to pure financial losses, the long-term risks brought by sensitive data breaches are greater:

• Data may circulate online for a long time, making it difficult to completely eliminate its impact.
• Personal information is difficult to change, and victims may face long-term fraud risks.
• Combining old and new data increases risks further

The risk of data breach incidents is highest after 2019. Even if the data source cannot be found, it should be assumed that the data can still be used for illegal purposes.

Protective Suggestions

1. Reduce the use of centralized services and decentralize asset storage.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
3. Change leaked personal information as much as possible.
4. Use different passwords
5. Regularly monitor data breach reporting websites
6. Use Credit Monitoring Services

Although it is difficult to completely avoid security incidents, the above measures can effectively reduce risks and protect personal data and asset security. In the Web3 world, security awareness and protective measures are equally important.