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Created page with "{{Imported Case Study With About|source=https://www.quadrigainitiative.com/casestudy/cointelegraphtelegraphpackyfaketokenslaunched.php}} {{Unattributed Sources}} thumb|CoinTelegraph Logo/HomepageCointelegraph is a leading independent digital media outlet specializing in cryptocurrency, blockchain, and fintech news. On March 23, 2024, its official X/Twitter account was compromised—likely via credential theft or social engineering—to promote..."

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{{Imported Case Study With About|source=https://www.quadrigainitiative.com/casestudy/cointelegraphtelegraphpackyfaketokenslaunched.php}}
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[[File:Cointelegraph.jpg|thumb|CoinTelegraph Logo/Homepage]]Cointelegraph is a leading independent digital media outlet specializing in cryptocurrency, blockchain, and fintech news. On March 23, 2024, its official X/Twitter account was compromised—likely via credential theft or social engineering—to promote fake Solana-based tokens ($TELEGRAPH and $PACKY). The attack leveraged the outlet’s trusted status to spread scam content before the account was swiftly recovered, though no public restitution or post-mortem has been provided.<ref name="cuongtran2024tweet-20064" /><ref name="bscnewstweet-20065" /><ref name="bscnheadlinestweet-20066" /><ref name="pcaversacciotweet-20067" /><ref name="solscantelegraph-20068" /><ref name="solscantelegraphmint-20069" /><ref name="cryptonomistfratweet-20070" /><ref name="solscanpackytoken-20071" /><ref name="solscanpackymint-20072" /><ref name="solscanpackypurchase-20073" /><ref name="earningenginetwitter-20074" /><ref name="apkjnrtwitter-20075" /><ref name="ricardogordontwitter-20076" /><ref name="itsadityyatwitter-20077" /><ref name="cryptoexptavnitwitter-20078" /><ref name="somaxbttwitter-20079" /><ref name="somaxbttweet-20080" /><ref name="ibirawtwitter-20081" /><ref name="evanluthratwitter-20082" /><ref name="ninjanewsxtwitter-20083" /><ref name="yazanxbttwitter-20084" /><ref name="wiseadvicesumittwitter-20085" /><ref name="soubtctwitter-20086" /><ref name="cryptokingkeyurtwitter-20087" /><ref name="koalaaiviptwitter-20088" /><ref name="cointelegraphabout-20056" /><ref name="cointelegraphlinkedin-20057" /><ref name="cointelegraphchinese-20058" /><ref name="employbl-20059" /><ref name="pitchbook-20060" /><ref name="signalhire-20061" /><ref name="muckrack-20062" /><ref name="cryptocurrencyreddit-20063" />

== About CoinTelegraph ==
Founded in 2013, Cointelegraph is a privately held company specializing in cryptocurrency, blockchain, and fintech news. Cointelegraph is a leading independent digital media outlet. It delivers daily news, in-depth analysis, and educational content across various topics, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and Web3. The platform is recognized for its comprehensive coverage, featuring expert opinions, price charts, and reports on the social impact of digital currencies.

Headquartered in the United States, Cointelegraph has expanded its presence internationally, with teams in over 30 countries. The company publishes more than 1,000 articles monthly and offers a range of resources, such as a mobile app, video content, and educational materials like "Cryptopedia" . Despite its prominence, Cointelegraph has faced criticism over the years for occasional inaccuracies and sensational headlines, which have led to discussions about its editorial practices within the crypto community.

In addition to its U.S. headquarters, Cointelegraph has expanded its global presence with offices in various countries, including China, Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates.
== About $TELEGRAM Token Offering ==
"Cointelegraph launched it's own coin $TELEGRAPH in partnership with @daomaker. Pre-Sale is live: Hardcap: 33,333 SOL (SPL) Offering Style: Oversubscription. Min Deposit: 0.5 SOL"

== The Reality ==
Despite its prominence, Cointelegraph has faced criticism over the years for occasional inaccuracies and sensational headlines, which have led to discussions about its editorial practices within the crypto community.

This breach may indicate weaknesses in the account’s access controls, security monitoring, or incident response procedures, which allowed the attacker to maintain control long enough to disseminate deceptive content before the account was secured.

== What Happened ==
Cointelegraph’s X/Twitter account was hacked to promote a fake token pre-sale involving $TELEGRAPH and $PACKY on the Solana blockchain.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Key Event Timeline - CoinTelegraph TELEGRAPH PACKY Fake Tokens Launched
!Date
!Event
!Description
|-
|March 20th, 2024 11:26:23 AM MDT
|PACKY Smart Contract Created
|The $PACKY smart contract is created. This is believed to be prior to the incident.
|-
|March 23rd, 2024 7:56:30 AM MDT
|First Funding Of $TELEGRAPH
|The first funding of the $TELEGRAM smart contract on the Solana blockchain.
|-
|March 23rd, 2024 8:11:00 AM MDT
|First Mention Of Compromise
|The first mention of the compromise can be found on Twitter/X, along with a screenshot of the content.
|-
|March 23rd, 2024 8:25:00 AM MDT
|PACKY Token Offering
|The CoinTelegraph account is believed to have posted the PACKY token, which is reportedly convertible to the TELEGRAPH token.
|-
|March 23rd, 2024 8:35:00 AM MDT
|Account Compromise Warning
|BSCNews posts a quick tweet to notify that the CoinTelegraph Twitter/X account appears to be compromised.
|-
|March 23rd, 2024 8:45:00 AM MDT
|BSCN News Article
|BSCN News reports that the official X/Twitter account of blockchain media company Cointelegraph was hacked on Sunday, March 23rd, resulting in malicious posts promoting a fake $TELEGRAPH token pre-sale and misleading content related to Solana’s Raydium protocol. Users are warned not to engage with these posts or links. Cointelegraph has not yet issued a statement explaining the breach. This incident follows a previous issue in October 2023, when a false tweet about a Bitcoin ETF approval caused significant market disruption.
|}

== Technical Details ==
The exploit involved unauthorized access to Cointelegraph’s official X/Twitter account, likely achieved through credential compromise or social engineering techniques targeting account management controls. Once the attacker gained access, they were able to bypass multi-factor authentication (if enabled) or exploit session management vulnerabilities to post malicious tweets. These tweets included fraudulent announcements promoting a fake cryptocurrency token ($TELEGRAPH). The attack leveraged the trusted status of the verified account to spread misinformation and potentially execute phishing or scam operations.

Contract Address $TELEGRAM: 2Lj7b4hCvv7fUsx56k2M7r8UKYsDWJGCAwCg7azdNaeV

Contract Address $PACKY: mw3LR155fQJiRKjm3oeXQN8NB7BoF2BBbC9s1RjmDbN

== Total Amount Lost ==
There are limited specific details about the amount lost.

The total amount lost is unknown.

== Immediate Reactions ==
The community reacted swiftly and vocally to the Cointelegraph X/Twitter account compromise. Influencers and media outlets such as BSCNews, BSCN Headlines, and The Cryptonomist France quickly confirmed the hack, urging followers to stay cautious. Users like @cuongtran2024 and @pcaversaccio warned others not to engage with the malicious posts, particularly those involving suspicious Solana wallet addresses.

== Ultimate Outcome ==
Cointelegraph reportedly regained control of its account shortly thereafter. No official post-mortem or restitution plan has been issued by Cointelegraph as of now.

== Total Amount Recovered ==
There does not appear to be any attempt to assist any users who may have been affected by the incident.

There do not appear to have been any funds recovered in this case.

== Ongoing Developments ==
The incident highlights a growing trend of social engineering in crypto-related cyberattacks, emphasizing the urgent need for vigilance, two-factor authentication, and skepticism toward unexpected links—even from trusted sources.
== Individual Prevention Policies ==
{{Prevention:Individuals:Placeholder}}

{{Prevention:Individuals:End}}

== Platform Prevention Policies ==
{{Prevention:Platforms:Placeholder}}

{{Prevention:Platforms:End}}

== Regulatory Prevention Policies ==
{{Prevention:Regulators:Placeholder}}

{{Prevention:Regulators:End}}

== References ==
<references><ref name="cuongtran2024tweet-20064">[https://twitter.com/cuongtran2024/status/1771540365201363025 Tran Cuong - "#CoinTelegraph got hacked, be careful guys :))" - Twitter/X] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="bscnewstweet-20065">[https://twitter.com/BSCNews/status/1771548936332849195 BSCNews - "Today, Sunday 23rd March, the official account of blockchain media company, @Cointelegraph, suffered what appears to have been a compromise by a malicious actor." - Twitter/X] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="bscnheadlinestweet-20066">[https://twitter.com/BSCNheadlines/status/1771546221724713134 BSCN Headlines - "JUST IN: OFFICIAL @COINTELEGRAPH X/TWITTER ACCOUNT COMPROMISED" - Twitter/X] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="pcaversacciotweet-20067">[https://twitter.com/pcaversaccio/status/1771541943316615344 pcaversaccio - "Cointelegraph hacked on X / Twitter. Please don't interact with any of the Solana addresses!" - Twitter/X] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="solscantelegraph-20068">[https://solscan.io/account/2Lj7b4hCvv7fUsx56k2M7r8UKYsDWJGCAwCg7azdNaeV TELEGRAPH Token Address - SolScan] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="solscantelegraphmint-20069">[https://solscan.io/tx/2aE4TU3BTM8Fxy7vinnS1ExHydaZnL4FVFeej7PQQ9M7Nc8bFM1CvyAyPRkjq3snzVmaGwF8jwKfRqrgYm5WJ5EB Telegraph Token Minting - SolScan] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="cryptonomistfratweet-20070">[https://twitter.com/Cryptonomistfra/status/1771553272634941635 The Cryptonomist France - "JUST IN: Cointelegraph's Twitter account hacked" - Twitter/X] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="solscanpackytoken-20071">[https://solscan.io/token/mw3LR155fQJiRKjm3oeXQN8NB7BoF2BBbC9s1RjmDbN PACKY Token - SolScan] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="solscanpackymint-20072">[https://solscan.io/tx/2gXJsvw5FH3xbvCqQto12FtDDZ3ftzLAB2u6LpQL1fvgP8oGB7UeEGDvRnk3wsxXJc3HFUbQiDLWVg5C6ciVyU4q Minting Initial 1,000,000,000 PACKY - SolScan] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="solscanpackypurchase-20073">[https://solscan.io/tx/382w8KpickadxLsqBgwG3Zpz2R66onFFb1zukYSayZk1nnAZeZJkN3kocv7XCdUnweJsGtQXTZPjAa4UdtY2vXs2 PACKY Token Moved To Raydium - SolScan] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="earningenginetwitter-20074">[https://twitter.com/EarningEngine/status/1771548312530718942 @EarningEngine Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="apkjnrtwitter-20075">[https://twitter.com/ApkJnr/status/1771544384988688599 @ApkJnr Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="ricardogordontwitter-20076">[https://twitter.com/Ricardo__Gordon/status/1771544617839636722 @Ricardo__Gordon Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="itsadityyatwitter-20077">[https://twitter.com/its_Adityya/status/1771547617530368325 @its_Adityya Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="cryptoexptavnitwitter-20078">[https://twitter.com/CryptoExptAvni/status/1771546551271276862 @CryptoExptAvni Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="somaxbttwitter-20079">[https://twitter.com/somaxbt/status/1771542577050784012 @somaxbt Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="somaxbttweet-20080">[https://twitter.com/somaxbt/status/1771545141213290649 SomaXBT - "Update: @Cointelegraph recovered account successfully" - Twitter/X] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="ibirawtwitter-20081">[https://twitter.com/ibiraw/status/1771543861724090741 @ibiraw Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="evanluthratwitter-20082">[https://twitter.com/EvanLuthra/status/1771543438007193811 @EvanLuthra Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="ninjanewsxtwitter-20083">[https://twitter.com/ninjanewsx/status/1771542472872579111 @ninjanewsx Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="yazanxbttwitter-20084">[https://twitter.com/YazanXBT/status/1771542155691004138 @YazanXBT Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="wiseadvicesumittwitter-20085">[https://twitter.com/wiseadvicesumit/status/1771543931542516100 @wiseadvicesumit Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="soubtctwitter-20086">[https://twitter.com/SOU_BTC/status/1771543813250564248 @SOU_BTC Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="cryptokingkeyurtwitter-20087">[https://twitter.com/CryptoKingKeyur/status/1771545252085617122 @CryptoKingKeyur Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="koalaaiviptwitter-20088">[https://twitter.com/KoalaAIvip/status/1771541925616632218 @KoalaAIvip Twitter] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="cointelegraphabout-20056">[https://cointelegraph.com/about About CoinTelegraph] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="cointelegraphlinkedin-20057">[https://www.linkedin.com/company/cointelegraph CoinTelegraph LinkedIn] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="cointelegraphchinese-20058">[https://cointelegraph.com/news/cointelegraph-announces-chinese-hq-bolstering-its-international-expansion Cointelegraph Announces Chinese HQ, Bolstering Its International Expansion - CoinTelegraph] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="employbl-20059">[https://www.employbl.com/companies/Cointelegraph/office-locations CoinTelegraph Office Locations - Employbl] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="pitchbook-20060">[https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/101170-54 Cointelegraph Company Profile 2024 - Pitchbook] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="signalhire-20061">[https://www.signalhire.com/companies/cointelegraph Cointelegraph Overview - SignalHire Company Profile] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="muckrack-20062">[https://muckrack.com/media-outlet/cointelegraph Cointelegraph: Contact Information, Journalists, and Overview - Muckrack] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref>

<ref name="cryptocurrencyreddit-20063">[https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/oz6yr2 Another example why not to trust Cointelegraph - CryptoCurrency Reddit] (Accessed Jun 9, 2025)</ref></references>

CoinTelegraph TELEGRAPH PACKY Fake Tokens Launched - Revision history