Cross-Chain Bridge Phishing via Fake Security Audit Platforms: Inducing Authorization to Steal Assets

Who Gets Targeted

Victims are typically active traders holding multi-chain assets and operators of small-to-medium DeFi projects who have limited technical knowledge of cross-chain bridges but are eager to enhance asset security. Psychologically, they are susceptible to promises of 'official certification,' 'free audits,' or 'high-yield capital protection.' Lacking vigilance regarding contract authorization risks, they often grant unlimited asset access on suspicious websites.

骗局怎么运作

• Attackers post advertisements in communities like Telegram and Discord, masquerading as official security audit services. They claim to offer bridge vulnerability detection and free cross-chain transaction quotas, using official logos and look-alike domains to build credibility and creating a sense of urgency through social engineering.
• Once victims click the fake webpage, they are guided to download browser extensions or connect their wallets. A contract call that appears to be a security audit pops up, claiming to only read on-chain status, but it actually calls the bridge contract's authorization function, requesting the user to sign for unlimited transfer permissions.
• After the signature is completed, the attacker uses the obtained authorization to automatically trigger cross-chain transfer scripts in the background, consolidating the victim's assets from multiple chains into an attacker-controlled address. The transfers are executed in high-frequency, small-amount batches to reduce the probability of triggering on-chain monitoring.
• Once assets are moved, attackers immediately use coin mixers, on-chain bridge pools, or centralized exchanges to launder the funds. Victims can only see the authorization records on-chain, making it extremely difficult to recover the transferred tokens.
• After a successful heist, attackers continue to post 'asset recovery' services in the same community, guiding users to authorize again to form a continuous scam chain, sometimes even providing forged recovery reports to obtain secondary authorization.

红旗信号（看到这些快跑）

• 🚩 Promotional materials use exaggerated terms like 'official audit,' 'free security scan,' or 'zero-risk staking,' and the provided links differ from official domains by only one character.
• 🚩 Users are asked to sign contract calls in their wallets that appear to be 'read-only' but are actually granting transfer or bridge contract permissions.
• 🚩 Use of urgent language to pressure users, such as 'limited-time offer' or 'protect your assets immediately,' creating panic regarding potential account theft.
• 🚩 Customer support contact information is limited to private messaging accounts or anonymous groups, lacking official verified phone numbers or email addresses.
• 🚩 Promised returns or fee waivers are inconsistent with industry standards, and no verifiable audit reports or security certifications are provided.

真实案例

• In September 2023, a victim was scammed on Telegram into authorizing a fake Verus cross-chain bridge security audit contract, resulting in the loss of approximately $750,000 USDC. See Gate News (2023-09-15) for the report.
• In June 2024, a victim clicked on a fake AFX Bridge security scan page. After signing, assets were bulk-transferred to the attacker's address, totaling approximately $24 million USDC. See the Cryptonomist report (2024-07-31).
• In March 2025, a DeFi project operator fell for a phishing email claiming 'XRP cross-chain bridge reserves drained.' After authorizing, approximately 99.7% of their XRP reserves were drained, resulting in a loss of about $12 million. See the BlockWeeks report (2025-03-20).

Official Stance

• 2023-12-01: Gate.com published 'Cross-Chain Bridge Authorization Scam Case Warning,' advising users not to trust unfamiliar authorization links.
• 2024-02-15: CertiK issued a security audit risk alert in its blog 'Verus Incident Analysis,' noting that fake audit services are often accompanied by authorization scams.
• 2025-08-20: Trustformer.info published 'Zero-Risk Staking Authorization Scam Warning,' exposing typical phishing techniques and providing prevention guidelines.

How to Protect Yourself

• ✅ On any webpage or plugin from an unknown source, always check the contract call method to ensure it only reads status and does not involve transfers or authorizations.
• ✅ Only download wallet plugins or browser extensions from official channels, use official URLs, and verify SSL certificates via browser security locks.
• ✅ Double-confirm all authorization requests, use hardware wallets or offline signing, and verify on a blockchain explorer whether the contract address is the official bridge contract.
• ✅ Enable maximum authorization limits in your wallet, grant only the minimum necessary amount, and regularly audit the list of authorized contracts to revoke unnecessary permissions.