Vitalik Buterin’s Mom’s Blockchain Metis Suffers Hack on X: Here’s Inside Story

In a startling turn of events, the blockchain ecosystem was rocked as hackers targeted the renowned crypto start-up Metis, using its prominent X (formerly Twitter) account as a launchpad for a phishing campaign. The situation came to light when one of Metis’ key executives, Elena Sinelnikova, disclosed that the platform’s security had been breached, leading to the dissemination of deceptive links to an audience exceeding 150,000 followers.

Sinelnikova expressed urgency, asserting the necessity for X to promptly suspend the compromised account until the Metis L2 team restores control. Regrettably, support from X has been less than satisfactory at this critical juncture, according to Sinelnikova.

Please report @MetisDAO account for “Posting misleading or deceptive links, leading to scams, phishing, or other malicious links”.
We want it to be suspended by @X until the Metis L2 team gets it back. @X support is not too helpful, unfortunately.

— Elena Sinelnikova (@ElenaCryptoChic) August 15, 2023

At the core of the Metis project stands a significant association, Natalia Ameline, a curator whose credentials include being the mother of Ethereum’s visionary founder, Vitalik Buterin. This link adds a layer of intrigue to the Metis venture, which champions decentralization via its innovative system of DAOs and DACs. Ameline plays a pivotal role in orchestrating these intricate processes, further cementing her legacy within the blockchain realm.

X or Twitter — the problems are the same

The incident highlights an alarming trend in the crypto industry, as Metis joins a growing list of high-profile accounts falling victim to hacking and fraudulent activities. Previously, many prominent members of the industry addressed Elon Musk directly, pointing to the growing problem, as well as to the abundance of bots. However, this is still the case.