In a shocking turn of events, the Euler Finance exploiter is reported to have returned 51,000 ether (ETH) to the DeFi lending protocol.
According to BlockSec, a blockchain security firm that works with Euler Labs, the exploiter has also returned another 7,737 ETH, bringing the total returned funds to 58,737 ETH. In total, Euler has recovered about $102 million worth of ETH at current exchange rates.
It’s a notable development after the Euler hack on March 13, 2023. The hack was one of the largest flash lending attacks in DeFi history, resulting in a $197 million loss from the protocol.
The attacker exploited the protocol’s smart contract vulnerability and stole more than $197 million worth of crypto assets. The stolen funds included $8.7 million of DAI, $19 million of wrapped bitcoin (wBTC), $34 million in USD currency (USDC), and around $136 million staked ether (stETH).
Euler Labs, the developer of the protocol, has been working with security professionals and law enforcement since the attack to track down the exploiter and recover the funds. The team also offered a $1 million reward for any information that could lead to the return of the funds.
Are hackers turning on each other?
Adding to the drama, the owner of a wallet that allegedly contained 10 million of Euler’s stolen DAI sent a message stating that he would be willing to provide detailed information about Euler’s hacker in exchange for 10%. generosity Euler had previously offered.
In what appears to be the attackers fighting each other, this message was quickly followed by a text message from another wallet linked to the hack, in which someone identifying themselves as “Euler exploiter 3” provided an email address and he was asking Euler to contact them to spill the beans regarding the people behind the March 13 exploit. In this case, the person explicitly stated that she was not interested in the reward.
It remains to be determined whether the first exploiter decided to return the funds voluntarily or under pressure from the authorities. However, some speculate that the exploiter may have negotiated with Euler Labs to avoid legal consequences.
