KyberSwap’s Response to Exploit: Treasury Grants for Victims
Offering Financial Relief and Enhancing Security
In a resolute response to a recent security breach that cost the decentralised finance (DeFi) protocol $48.8 million, KyberSwap has unveiled plans to extend a helping hand to the victims. The incident, which took place on November 22nd, has shaken the DeFi community, but KyberSwap is determined to rebuild trust and ensure the security of its platform.
In relation to the KyberSwap Elastic incident that transpired from 22 November 2023, 10:54:09 PM UTC, resulting in the exploitative swaps by the exploiter that drained approximately $48.8 million of users’ funds from KyberSwap Elastic liquidity pools, we reiterate our unwavering…
The heart of KyberSwap’s response lies in its commitment to its users. The platform is establishing a grant initiative from its treasury to compensate individuals who suffered exploitation losses. This grant will be equivalent to the USD value of the assets lost during the security breach. While the specific details and criteria for the grant are being finalised, KyberSwap has pledged to share further information within two weeks.
Understanding the Security Breach
A thorough investigation into the security breach has revealed that the vulnerability stemmed from tick interval boundaries within KyberSwap’s concentrated liquidity pools. This vulnerability allowed an attacker to artificially manipulate liquidity, resulting in a significant depletion of funds. Initially estimated at $47 million, the loss was later confirmed to be $48.8 million.
KyberSwap made an unconventional move by proposing a 10% reward to the wrongdoer in an attempt to recover the stolen assets. However, this proposal was rejected rather than accepted, highlighting the complexities of dealing with cybercriminals in the DeFi space.
Partial Recovery and Proactive Measures
The KyberSwap team has been in contact with the owners of the frontrun bots that extracted about $5.7M* worth of funds from KyberSwap pools on Polygon and Avalanche during the exploit. We have negotiated with the owners of the frontrun bots to return 90% of the users’ funds taken…
Despite the challenges, KyberSwap has recovered $4.7 million of the stolen funds. These funds were retrieved from third-party Miner Extractable Value (MEV) bots that profited nearly $5.7 million following the exploit. This partial recovery showcases KyberSwap’s proactive approach to addressing security breaches and its commitment to safeguarding user assets.
The incident has prompted a comprehensive review of KyberSwap’s security protocols. The team is dedicated to enhancing safeguards to prevent future exploits, ensuring the utmost security for its users.
A Unified Front in DeFi
KyberSwap’s decision to offer treasury grants is a significant step in the DeFi community. It demonstrates a commitment to maintaining trust and support among users, even in the face of security breaches. By standing with the victims and pursuing legal action against the exploiter, KyberSwap aims to communicate that security and integrity are paramount in decentralised finance.
In conclusion, KyberSwap’s response to the recent exploit is a testament to its dedication to the DeFi community. Through treasury grants, the platform seeks to ease the financial burden on affected users while reinforcing its commitment to security. As DeFi continues to evolve, KyberSwap’s actions set a positive precedent for the industry, emphasising the importance of trust and user protection.
