In 2023, the digital asset landscape saw a significant improvement in security as losses stemming from 751 security incidents amounted to just over $1.8 billion.
Although this figure remains substantial, it represents a remarkable 51% decrease from the previous year when losses due to hacks and various incidents reached a staggering $3.7 billion.
These findings are based on the annual report titled “Hack3d: The Web3 Security Report 2023” by CertiK, a prominent blockchain security firm.
On January 3, CertiK released this comprehensive document, shedding light on the state of Web3 security over the preceding year.
The report highlighted that the third quarter of 2023 was the most turbulent period, witnessing losses surpassing $686 million.
Notably, private key compromises continued to be the most expensive attack vector, causing over $880 million in losses through 47 incidents where private keys were compromised.
Within the blockchain realm, Ethereum emerged as the most impacted network. CertiK’s report disclosed that Ethereum suffered $686 million in losses across 224 incidents, averaging around $3 million per occurrence.
READ MORE: Rising Tide of Crypto Phishing Scams Costs Users $295 Million in 2023
In contrast, BNB Chain experienced 387 security incidents but incurred substantially lower losses, totaling $134 million compared to Ethereum’s figures.
Moreover, the report emphasized that cross-chain interoperability remains a challenge for the cryptocurrency ecosystem, with security breaches affecting multiple blockchains resulting in nearly $800 million in losses.
Ronghui Gu, co-founder of CertiK, expressed optimism about the state of blockchain security in 2023, characterizing it as a “positive development.”
He attributed the 51% reduction in losses to the broader bear market, which witnessed declining token and treasury valuations.
Gu expressed hope that if losses remain low during a bull run, it would signify that the Web3 industry is effectively assimilating essential security lessons.
In summary, the data from CertiK’s report indicates that 2023 marked a notable improvement in digital asset security, with a significant decrease in losses compared to the previous year.
This progress is attributed to proactive security measures and increased awareness within the industry, offering hope for further strengthening blockchain security in 2024 and beyond.
Discover the Crypto Intelligence Blockchain Council
