By 2025, cybersecurity will not only be a matter of technical literacy but also a necessary element of survival in the digital space. Amid the rapid growth of cryptocurrencies, the number of cyberattacks is breaking all records. According to CertiK, the crypto industry suffered cumulative losses of $801 million from cyberattacks and fraud in the second quarter of 2025. The total damage for the first half of the year amounted to a record $2.47 billion. For comparison, during the same period in 2024, these losses were nearly half as much, at about $1.26 billion.

This confirms that cyber threats in the Web3 sector are not only persisting, but also rapidly multiplying and evolving. Cybercriminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods, including phishing attacks, social engineering, malware, and supply chain attacks.

In this article, we will examine the key cyber threats to the cryptocurrency industry and provide practical advice on protecting personal data and assets from unauthorized access.

Top Cyber Threats of 2025: What Threatens the Crypto Industry?

Cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated and targeted. The focus is on hacks, phishing attacks, and new forms of fraud using artificial intelligence. DDoS attacks have also become more frequent and are now used not only to disable services, but also as a diversionary tactic before a main hack.

Attacks on Crypto Exchanges Result in Massive Losses

Centralized platforms remain the main targets of cybercriminals. In March 2025, for example, Bybit lost more than $1.4 billion in ETH due to an attack via a contractor, SafeWallet. This was one of the largest cryptocurrency hacks in history. Hackers associated with the Lazarus Group infected one of the developers’ devices and implanted a malicious sсript into the multi-signature interface used by the exchange’s employees. As a result, three signatories unknowingly approved the withdrawal of nearly 400,000 ETH to the attackers’ address. After completing the transaction, the hackers quickly removed the malicious code, covered their tracks, and began withdrawing assets through mixers. This incident is a textbook example of how attacks on contractors and weak links in the supply chain can render even the most reliable architecture vulnerable.

Although decentralized protocols are technically more vulnerable due to errors in smart contracts and open-source code and lack centralized protection, centralized platforms remain the main target of cybercriminals. The reason is simple: CEX and custodial services accumulate huge amounts of assets and depend on infrastructure in which the vulnerability of a single contractor or employee can lead to billions in losses. This makes centralized systems more “profitable” targets, despite their formally higher level of cyber protection.

Phishing and Social Engineering: Hacking Through Trust

In 2025, phishing attacks reached a new peak. According to Beosin, the number of malicious resources imitating popular crypto services increased by 68%. Hackers actively use social engineering, posing as technical support staff, influencers, or investors to gain access to wallets and seed phrases. In one case, a scammer posing as a Trust Wallet support employee convinced a user via Telegram chat to “confirm ownership of assets” urgently and tricked him into revealing his seed phrase. Within minutes, more than $80,000 disappeared from the wallet.

Deepfakes and AI: A New Era of Deception

The development of artificial intelligence has led to a sharp increase in attacks using deepfakes. In 2025, there were 3.5 times more attacks than in 2024. Hackers create videos featuring prominent figures in the crypto industry to trick users into investing in fake projects or clicking on infected links. In spring 2025, a deepfake video of “Vitalik Buterin,” the founder of Ethereum, calling for investment in a new token spread across the internet. In one day, the fake campaign brought the attackers more than $600,000 in USDT.

Cyber espionage and encryptors

Large decentralized protocols are becoming targets of cyber espionage by criminal groups and government agencies. At the same time, malicious encryptor programs continue to spread—viruses that block access to systems until a ransom is paid in cryptocurrency.

How hackers attack: New Methods and Technologies

Attacks through contractors and the supply chain

Attackers penetrate the project’s infrastructure through third parties, such as developers, consultants, and service partners. The threat is exacerbated by the complexity of supply chains in DeFi and NFT ecosystems, where dozens of dependencies create a broad attack surface.

Social Engineering and Phishing

Hackers use social engineering to gain users’ trust through fake accounts, “support services,” and staged announcements. In 2025, dozens of clones of official Telegram bots for popular wallets and exchanges emerged. The number of phishing attacks using personalized emails, redirects from NFT drops, and fake landing pages is also growing. Campaigns involving DNS spoofing and real-time proxy requests are particularly dangerous.

Artificial intelligence

Malicious software and deceptive interfaces generated by neural networks pose a serious challenge. Copies of ChatGPT that can automatically generate phishing emails, deepfakes, and fake investment offers are already being sold on the dark web. AI is also used to recognize user behavior patterns and determine the optimal time to attack.

Dangerous groups

Among the active cybercriminal groups in 2025, Pink Drainer, Inferno Drainer, and the new PhantomLedger group stand out. These groups have attacked more than 40 decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms using multi-stage exploits and malware. The Lazarus Group, a hacker group essentially operating as a division of North Korean intelligence, deserves special attention. Analysts consider it to be “Pyongyang’s state cyber project” and “one of the most dangerous threats to global cybercrime and cyberespionage.” The U.S., the U.N., and analysts agree that the funds are used to finance North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. According to Chainalysis, Lazarus had stolen over $180 million by 2025, in addition to the aforementioned $1.5 billion attack on Bybit. The FBI and industry analysts recognize this attack as “the largest hack in history.”

Quantum threats

As we approach the era of quantum computing, traditional security algorithms are becoming vulnerable. According to Statista, more than 70% of organizations in the blockchain sector consider quantum attacks a potential threat to their systеm security by 2025. Although there have been few real attacks thus far, preparations for post-quantum cyber defense have already begun. These preparations inсlude testing new cryptographic algorithms resistant to quantum hacking, such as CRYSTALS-Kyber and Dilithium, and adapting smart contracts and protocols to future standards. Some blockchains are integrating hybrid encryption schemes and updating software development kits (SDKs) to ensure compatibility with post-quantum solutions.

How to Protect Crypto Assets: Practical Tips

Despite the growth of cyber threats, users can significantly reduce risks by following basic digital hygiene measures and using modern cybersecurity tools.

Cold wallets

Cold wallets that are not connected to the internet remain the best solution for storing large amounts. Devices such as Ledger, Trezor, and Tangem prevent remote access to private keys unless they are physically compromised. Store seed phrases offline, and avoid photos or cloud copies.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

One of the simplest and most effective ways to do this is to enable MFA wherever possible. Use one-time password (OTP) generator apps, such as Google Authenticator or Authy, instead of SMS codes. Even better, use hardware tokens, such as YubiKey. This creates an additional barrier to social engineering and session hijacking.

Verify smart contracts and permissions

Before interacting with any dApp or DeFi platform, check your wallet permissions and ensure that you understand the contracts. Use resources such as Etherscan, DeBank, or Revoke.cash to ensure that you are not unnecessarily granting access to tokens or NFTs. Regularly clearing permissions is an important part of protecting your data and assets.

Beware of phishing and counterfeiting

Phishing attacks are still the main way that crypto assets are stolen. Never click on links in messages or ads without first checking the website address. Browser extensions, such as Wallet Guard and DNS0, can help identify suspicious sites and protect against data leaks.

Be vigilant on Telegram and X

A significant part of social engineering takes place on messaging apps and social networks. Do not trust messages “from support,” even if they come from an account with a recognizable avatar. Fake accounts and mass scam bots are a reality in 2025.

The future of cybersecurity: Trends and Solutions

In 2025, the fight to protect data and cryptocurrencies will increasingly shift toward automation, AI, and systemic cyber protection.

• Artificial intelligence is becoming a powerful shield as well as a tool in the hands of attackers. Companies are integrating AI into monitoring systems that analyze logs, user behavior, and network traffic to identify anomalies before a breach occurs.
• As we enter the era of quantum attacks, companies are beginning to implement post-quantum encryption. This type of encryption is based on algorithms that are resistant to decryption using quantum computers.
• Organizations are shifting from using dozens of fragmented services to unified platforms. This approach allows for centralized control, logs, rules, and alerts, which minimizes the risks associated with a fragmented ecosystem of solutions and the loss of a holistic view of security. This is especially important in the context of ever-expanding supply chains.
• As the number of attacks and leaks increases, the demand for cybersecurity specialists will grow in 2025. Companies are looking for experts capable of building a comprehensive defense strategy, not just technical administrators.

Conclusion

In 2025, cybersecurity is not just a trend, but a necessity dictated by the realities of the digital age. The growth of cybercrime, increasingly sophisticated hacking methods, larger-scale phishing campaigns, and attackers’ use of artificial intelligence make protecting cryptocurrency a paramount task. In response, effective cyber defense tools are emerging that can prevent attacks in real time and act proactively.

The future will undoubtedly bring new challenges. However, those who understand the basics of cybersecurity and invest in data protection will be able to use cryptocurrencies and new technologies without experiencing losses or stress.

Thank you for your attention. Invest safely and profitably!

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FAQ

What is cybersecurity, and why is it important in the crypto industry?

It is a systеm of measures that protects digital data and assets from unauthorized access and attacks. In the crypto industry, it is critically important because digital assets are stored without intermediaries. Any mistake or hack can lead to the irretrievable loss of funds, with no option to roll back the transaction or seek third-party intervention.

What are the most common hacker attacks in 2025?

Phishing attacks, attacks on contractors, malware hacks, and the use of AI to fake interfaces and messages are the most common. There is also a growing number of attacks on supply chains and multi-signatures.

How can cryptocurrencies be protected from hacking?

Use cold wallets, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA), check smart contract permissions, and do not click on unverified links. Regularly updаte your security, and never store seed phrases online.

What is post-quantum encryption, and why is it necessary?

It is a data protection method that resists hacking by quantum computers. It is necessary to counter future quantum attacks, which will be able to bypass traditional cryptographic algorithms.

Why is social engineering still effective?

Because it affects people, not systems. Social engineering exploits trust, haste, or fear to deceive people into granting access to data. If the victim is willing to hand over their keys, no technical means can protect them.