Axie infinity gets hacked for 625 million dollars

Axie gets hijacked.  The theft took place in a digital ledger used by users of the popular Axie Infinity game. It is one of the largest thefts of its kind disclosed so far.

Hackers stole cryptocurrency worth more than $600 million from a digital ledger used by netizens of the popular Axie Infinity game in one of the largest thefts of its kind revealed on Tuesday (29.03.2022). Global interest in cryptocurrencies has soared hand-in-hand with their worth, but the money they represent has also become an attractive target for savvy thieves. Ronin Network, a network linked to the Ethereum cryptocurrency specializing in gaming, said the attack targeting its blockchain generated 173,600 ethers and $25.5 million in a stable currency, a digital asset pegged to the U.S. dollar. The haul was initially valued at $545 million at the time of the theft on March 23, but according to prices already reached around $625 million on Tuesday, making it one of the largest thefts in cryptocurrency history.

"Most of the hacked funds are still in the hacker's wallet," Ronin said in the publication that revealed the theft.

According to the company, the team at Sky Mavis, developer of the Axie Infinity game, discovered the security breach on Tuesday when it unsuccessfully tried to withdraw her. Ronin is still investigating the attack but said hackers obtained private "keys" to withdraw digital funds. "We know trust must be earned, and we are using all resources to implement the most sophisticated security measures and processes to prevent future attacks," Ronin said. In Axie Infinity, players participate in battles and receive rewards that they can exchange for cryptocurrencies or cash. To play, they must purchase a minimum of three Axies, which are NFT (non-fungible tokens) and are stored in an unmodifiable blockchain or digital ledger. Whoever owns Axies can buy, sell or rent them to other players. Owners can also "breed" them to create new Axies with more value.