Unknown malicious miner managed last week to implement “attack 51%” of Bitcoin Gold (BTG). It is reported by CCN.

Director of communications at Bitcoin Gold Edward sparkle for the first time warned about the attack re-spending of 18 may. Then he noted that a malicious miner exploits a vulnerability with the purpose of stealing funds from cryptocurrency exchanges.

For the attack, the miner has captured at least 51% Hasrat network, which allowed him some time to gain control over bloccano Bitcoin Gold. The publication notes that the seizure of such a large amount of computing power (even in relatively small networks, like Bitcoin, Gold) is associated with significant costs. At the same time, the efforts of the attackers can be monetized through the possibility of re-spending of transactions.

After receiving the control network, the attacker began to Deposit coins BTG on cryptocurrency exchanges, while trying to simultaneously send the same coin to a private wallet. Under normal conditions, the blockchain would reject a re transaction. However, having the ability to manipulate the network, the attacker managed to include in the final version of the blockchain is needed for the transaction.

Thus, an attacker was able to contribute to the exchange and quickly pull them back, cancelling the original transaction. This gave the opportunity to the attacker to accumulate cryptocurrency on a separate address.

Since may 16 this BTG-address received more than 388 thousand coins Bitcoin Gold. Thus, given the current exchange rate, the attacker could “earn” about $18 million.

The last transaction was carried out on may 18. It can be assumed that with sufficient computing power, an attacker could try to renew the attack on the Bitcoin network Gold.

The developers of Bitcoin Gold recommended cryptocurrency exchanges to increase to 50 units the number of confirmations required for admission of coins to the account of the client.

Recall the days of “attack of 51% of” have undergone a blockchain cryptocurrency Verge.

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