Category · 5 stories
Security
Most losses are not exotic. We report exploits and exchange failures with the post-mortem detail that makes them useful — the attack path, the amount, the recovery — and pair them with practical guidance on keys, approvals and hardware wallets so the lesson survives the news cycle.
Bitget loses $351.6m — and the fund it says covers it is one we could not verify
The largest exchange theft of 2026 came through spoofed transfers, not stolen keys. Bitget says a $464m protection fund absorbs it. We reviewed that fund before the hack: genuinely scoped to theft, and impossible to check.
Theo Walsh·Sep 25, 2026·5 min
Exchange publishes proof-of-reserves with a zero-knowledge attestation
An exchange has published a proof-of-reserves backed by a zero-knowledge attestation, proving it holds the assets it claims without exposing customer data. But reserves are only half of solvency. The liabilities side is where the real questions live.
Ethan Brooks·Jun 4, 2026·6 min
Cross-chain bridge resumes operations after a security audit
A cross-chain bridge is back online after pausing for a security audit. The restart is a good moment to understand why bridges concentrate so much risk, how their trust models actually work, and what an audit can and cannot promise.
Theo Walsh·May 8, 2026·7 min
Self-custody without footguns: a practical security checklist
Most crypto losses are process failures, not exotic hacks. A mechanism-first checklist for hardware wallets, seed backups, hot/cold separation, and the signing mistakes that actually drain wallets.
Ethan Brooks·Apr 23, 2026·13 min
How to set up your first hardware wallet, step by step
A calm, thorough walkthrough of setting up your first hardware wallet, from buying direct to testing recovery before you fund it, plus the beginner mistakes that quietly drain wallets.
Ethan Brooks·Apr 8, 2026·11 min