A sponsored Google advertisement promoting Sony’s blockchain initiative, Soneium, has been identified as a crypto wallet drainer.
This event contributes to the escalating risks of wallet drainers that have infiltrated the cryptocurrency sector.
Google Ad Scam Aims at Soneium’s Users
In a post published on October 22 via X by blockchain security firm Scam Sniffer, it was revealed that a search for “Soneium” on Google redirected users to a phishing site. This site masqueraded as a credible page for Sony’s blockchain platform, reportedly housing hidden software intended to empty crypto wallets of unsuspecting users.
Scam Sniffer illustrated that the ad directed users to a website with a domain name strikingly similar to the official Soneium site. The phishing portal resembled a half-finished landing page for a UK-based radiology service, lending it an air of legitimacy.
An additional post emphasized how easily users could become victims of this ruse, particularly if they accidentally typed “Someium” instead of “Soneium” in their queries.
The security firm also pointed out that the perpetrators employed advanced techniques to circumvent Google’s security protocols, allowing the ad to stay undetected for a significant period.
Soneium is an Ethereum layer-2 blockchain created by Sony Block Solutions Labs, the result of a collaboration between Sony and blockchain company Startale Labs. The platform launched its testnet in August 2024.
The Wider Wallet Drainer Dilemma
This most recent incident adds to an expanding list of crypto-related phishing threats. Scam Sniffer previously reported that over $46 million worth of cryptocurrencies was stolen from 10,800 phishing victims just in September.
For the third quarter of 2024, more than $127 million in digital assets were misappropriated in these occurrences, with Ether wallets frequently targeted. In late April 2024, the Web3 security company also revealed that over $4 million had been lost within a few weeks through similar malicious sites promoted via Google Search.
Criminals exploited slight variations in domain names to deceive users into visiting fraudulent cryptocurrency websites, leading to significant financial repercussions for many.
In September, another crypto scam targeted Google Play Store users. A fraudulent application named WalletConnect mimicked the legitimate WalletConnect protocol but aimed to drain users’ crypto wallets. This app deceived over 10,000 individuals and siphoned off $70,000 before it was discovered.
Crypto wallet-draining tools have remained a significant threat in the cryptocurrency landscape. A Scam Sniffer report from late 2023 indicated that these malicious programs were responsible for more than $295 million in losses affecting around 324,000 victims that year.
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