back to article $30 million below Parity: Ethereum wallet bug fingered in mass heist

A vulnerability in Parity's Ethereum wallet software has been exploited by thieves to rob victims on a massive scale. A few hours ago, Parity told its users to move their ETH holdings from their in-browser wallets to more secure accounts immediately: IMPORTANT: SECURITY ALERT: https://t.co/h5vc0KwAxS Move funds in multi-sig …

  1. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge

    Whoops?

    Considering the frequency with which this kind of thing occurs to cryptocurrencies, you (well, I) have to wonder whether half the time it isn't intentional...

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Code Frailty

    The stuff of nightmares.... How to sleep well when someone could be uploading the next pull request that could kill off entire holdings. Bad day to be out sick / on-holiday / out of contact... Its all the other holes too laying undiscovered that brings panic attacks. Good luck to those getting in early...

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Who wants anonymous crypto currency to fail

    Nobody Seems Aware. Not Sure Actually. No-one's Seen Anything.

    1. DavCrav

      Re: Who wants anonymous crypto currency to fail

      "Who wants anonymous crypto currency to fail

      Nobody Seems Aware. Not Sure Actually. No-one's Seen Anything."

      So when cars are stolen it's Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth who nicked them, because they're the ones who want cars to fail?

      Behave, this is the Internet, it's for serious discussion, not.... Nope, can't get through that sentence.

  4. ratfox

    Thanks for the article, it helps me feel better about not getting into Bitcoin when it was at $1!

    It's a complicated feeling to be happy about problems with a system you didn't participate to and that would have made you millionaire if you had. Maybe. There must be a German word for that.

  5. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

    "Maybe not best practice"

    Probably not a problem.

  6. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Holmes

    "2000+ line changeset containing critical code merged w/out security review or formal signoff,"

    You think?

    The problem with crypto and digital currencies is both are tricky and both have very serious consequences if you f**k up.

    IBM Federal Systems developed the ways needed to handle those concerns about 4 decades ago.

    It would be nice if others realized that's what you need to do to stop f**king up.

  7. Arthur the cat Silver badge

    Those who don't learn from history

    I think it was Tim Worstall, late of this parish, who remarked that cryptocurrencies seem to be heading towards faithfully reproducing every mistake ever made down the centuries by conventional financial systems.

    1. phuzz Silver badge
      Happy

      Re: Those who don't learn from history

      Ahh, but the real benefit of crypto-currencies is that they can also reproduce all the mistakes previously made in programming and cryptography as well!

      Well, it's a benefit if you're an elReg journalist looking for a story anyway.

    2. JimmyPage Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Re: Tim Worstall, late of this parish

      Some of the best articles in El Reg !

    3. DavCrav

      Re: Those who don't learn from history

      "I think it was Tim Worstall, late of this parish, who remarked that cryptocurrencies seem to be heading towards faithfully reproducing every mistake ever made down the centuries by conventional financial systems."

      It's almost like the designers of cryptocurrencies never read any history of economics, but that's obviously a ridiculous thing to say.

    4. Tim Worstal

      Re: Those who don't learn from history

      I think I actually said every fraud, scam, and mistake.

  8. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

    White hats

    You're calling them white hat hackers. But that's yet to be determined. They've syphoned off everyone's "money" into a big old account, and say they're going to return it in a few days. Perhaps we should call them white hats in a few days, after that has actually happened.

  9. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Unhappy

    "You're calling them white hat hackers."

    I think that's what they are calling themselves.

    Maybe they are just giving themselves more time to launder the loot.

  10. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

    Ouch!

    From Ethereum via Ethereal to Ephemeral?

    Not at all funny if you have been hit, of course.

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
      Happy

      Re: Ouch!

      Finishing as totally effed up...

    2. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge

      Re: Ouch!

      Important life lessons are rarely funny

  11. hellwig

    Where's the Security?

    By all means, turn your real money into Chuck-e-Cheese tokens, store them in someone else's mattress, and hope their house doesn't burn down.

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