The risk of off-chain attacks in the Blockchain field is on the rise, with physical kidnapping incidents becoming frequent.

In the field of blockchain security, we often focus on on-chain attacks, smart contract vulnerabilities, and other technical threats. However, a series of recent events indicate that offline violent attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders are becoming an increasingly serious problem.

Recently, a cryptocurrency tycoon recounted his attempted kidnapping case from last year during a court hearing. The attackers tracked his movements using GPS tracking, forged documents, and other means, and attacked him from behind as he went upstairs. Fortunately, the tycoon successfully fought back and escaped.

As the value of crypto assets continues to rise, physical attacks targeting crypto users are becoming increasingly frequent. This article will delve into this attack method, review typical cases, explore the criminal chain behind it, and provide practical prevention suggestions.

Definition and Characteristics of a Wrench Attack

The concept of "wrench attack" originates from a web comic, describing an attacker who does not use technical means, but instead forces the victim to hand over passwords or assets through threats, extortion, or even kidnapping. This method of attack is direct, efficient, and has a relatively low barrier to implementation.

Recent Typical Cases

Since the beginning of this year, there have been frequent kidnapping cases targeting cryptocurrency users, with victims including core project members, internet celebrities, and ordinary users.

In early May, French police successfully rescued the father of a cryptocurrency tycoon who had been kidnapped. The kidnappers demanded a large ransom and subjected the hostage to brutal treatment.

In January, the co-founder of a hardware wallet company and his wife were attacked at home by armed assailants who demanded a ransom of 100 bitcoins.

In early June, a suspect involved in planning multiple kidnappings of French cryptocurrency entrepreneurs was arrested in Morocco.

In New York, an Italian crypto investor was lured and held captive and tortured for three weeks. The criminal gang precisely identified the target through on-chain analysis and social media tracking.

In mid-May, the daughter and young grandson of a co-founder of a trading platform were nearly kidnapped on the streets of Paris.

These cases highlight a worrying trend: compared to on-chain attacks, off-chain violent threats are more direct and effective, and have a lower implementation threshold. It is worth noting that the attackers are generally younger, mostly between the ages of 16 and 23, with basic knowledge of cryptocurrencies.

In addition to violent abductions, there are also some "non-violent coercion" incidents, such as attackers threatening victims by掌握 personal privacy information. Although these situations have not caused direct physical harm, they have touched upon the boundaries of personal safety.

It is important to emphasize that the publicly disclosed cases may only be the tip of the iceberg. Many victims choose to remain silent for various reasons, which makes it difficult to accurately assess the true scale of off-chain attacks.

Crime Blockchain Analysis

Based on multiple typical cases, the criminal chain of a wrench attack generally includes the following key links:

1. Information Locking: The attacker conducts an initial assessment of the target asset scale through on-chain data analysis, social media intelligence gathering, and other methods.

2. Real-world positioning and contact: After determining the target identity, the attacker will attempt to obtain their real-life information, including residence and frequently visited places. Common methods include social platform inducement, public data reverse lookup, and data leak utilization.

3. Violent threats and extortion: Once they control the target, attackers often resort to violent means to force them to hand over key information such as wallet private keys and mnemonic phrases.

4. Money laundering and fund transfer: After obtaining the private key, attackers usually quickly transfer assets and use methods such as coin mixing and OTC trading to evade tracking.

Coping Strategies

In the face of wrench attacks, traditional methods such as multi-signature wallets or decentralized mnemonic phrases may not be practical. A more secure strategy is "give with conditions, and losses are controllable":

• Set up a decoy wallet: Prepare an account that appears to be the main wallet but actually holds only a small amount of assets for emergency situations.

• Family Security Management: Family members need to understand basic asset management and response knowledge; set up security codes; enhance physical security at home.

• Avoid identity exposure: Manage social media information carefully and avoid revealing your possession of crypto assets in real life. The most effective protection is not letting people know that you are a target worth monitoring.

Industry Thoughts

With the development of the cryptocurrency industry, KYC and AML systems play an important role in enhancing financial transparency. However, there are still many challenges in the implementation process, especially in terms of data security and user privacy protection.

It is recommended to introduce a dynamic risk identification system based on the traditional KYC process to reduce unnecessary information collection. At the same time, the platform can integrate professional anti-money laundering and tracking services to enhance risk control capabilities from the source. In addition, strengthening data security capability construction is equally important, which can be achieved by comprehensively assessing the exposure risks of sensitive data through professional security testing services.