After months of delay, Huobi has finally resolved a data breach that saw the data of 4,960 users exposed, according to a report from The Block. However, the incident raises questions about the company’s response and the potential consequences had the breach been exploited. 

In a shocking turn of events last year, cryptocurrency exchange Huobi recently fell victim to a data breach that sent shockwaves through the crypto community. 

The breach, which occurred in June 2021, exposed user assets to potential theft and unveiled critical information about the exchange’s technical infrastructure.

Hacker’s Revelation Shakes the Foundations of Huobi’s Security

The breach came to light when Aaron Phillips, a white hat hacker, and citizen journalist, stumbled upon a file containing sensitive AWS credentials. 

This inadvertent release granted access to Huobi’s cloud storage, offering potential attackers the opportunity to manipulate the exchange’s domains, including its website and other platforms. 

Phillips highlighted the severity of the breach, stating that it could have facilitated the largest crypto theft in history. The implications were dire, putting every user who logged into a Huobi service over the past two years at risk of losing their accounts and assets.

Exposing Whales and Over-The-Counter Trades, Breach Highlights Ongoing Vulnerabilities

Beyond compromising user accounts and assets, the breach revealed a database of cryptocurrency whales—individuals with substantial holdings—and unveiled detailed information about over-the-counter (OTC) trades conducted on Huobi since 2017. 

With access to user account balances, transaction details, and IP addresses, potential attackers could have exploited this valuable data to their advantage.

The breach also shed light on vulnerabilities in Huobi’s content delivery networks (CDNs), leaving the entire user base exposed to the injection of malicious scripts.

Huobi’s Response and Resolutions

Upon discovering the breach, Huobi reportedly took immediate action to rectify the situation. The compromised account was swiftly deleted, and the cloud storage was secured to prevent further unauthorized access. 

The exchange reassured users that the breach only affected a limited number of individuals—specifically, 4,960 users—and no sensitive information was exposed, nor were user accounts or assets compromised. 

“The type of information leaked does not involve sensitive information and does not affect user accounts and fund security,” Huobi told The Block. “The incident occurred on June 22, 2021, due to improper operations by personnel related to the S3 bucket in the testing environment of the Huobi Japanese AWS site. The relevant user information was completely isolated on October 8, 2022.”

However, the delayed response from Huobi raised concerns, as the leaked data remained online for an extended period despite being reported to the exchange in June 2022.

Lessons Learned and the Broader Crypto Exchange Landscape

Huobi’s data breach serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with cryptocurrency exchanges, which handle significant amounts of customer data susceptible to hacking attempts.

This incident follows similar breaches affecting other exchanges, including Coinsquare and Gemini, which exposed user information and underscored the need for robust security measures. 

As users entrust exchanges with their valuable assets, it becomes paramount for platforms to prioritize cybersecurity, implement effective response protocols, and continuously enhance their defenses to safeguard users from potential breaches.