How North Korean Hackers Stole $285 Million From Solana's Drift Protocol in 12 Minutes

⚡ Key Takeaways

• The $285M Drift Protocol heist took just 12 minutes to execute but three weeks to plan, using social engineering and a fake token to manipulate price oracles. 𝕏
• The real vulnerability wasn't code—it was human process: security council members approving pre-signed transactions without proper scrutiny, combined with the removal of timelock safeguards. 𝕏
• Suspected North Korean operatives used Tornado Cash, precise Pyongyang-timed transactions, and laundering tactics matching prior state-sponsored exploits to drain the protocol. 𝕏
• DeFi's systemic weaknesses—poor multisig hygiene, thin-liquidity oracles, and removed timelocks—remain widespread across the industry despite repeated high-profile breaches. 𝕏