In a significant development for cryptocurrency users in India and globally, Trust Wallet's official browser extension has become temporarily unavailable on the Google Chrome Web Store. The announcement was made by the company's CEO, Eowyn Chen, on Thursday, 1 January, via a post on social media platform X.
Bug Halts Security Update After Major Breach
Chen explained that the unavailability stems from a bug encountered on the Chrome Web Store while the team was attempting to release a crucial new version of the extension. This technical snag has directly delayed the rollout of an update packed with additional features, specifically designed to aid users impacted by a recent severe security breach.
This situation follows closely on the heels of a malicious security incident that struck the Binance-owned firm just days earlier. The hack, which occurred on 25 December, resulted in losses exceeding $7 million. Attackers successfully drained funds from user wallets by exploiting a hidden malicious code disguised as an analytics feature within version 2.68 of the extension, released a day before the attack.
CEO's Urgent Warning on Fake Extensions
While informing users about the delay, CEO Eowyn Chen issued a critical warning. She alerted the community about the possible presence of counterfeit versions of the Trust Wallet Browser Extension on the web. "Please be alert of any fake version of Trust Wallet Browser Extension," she urged in her post. Downloading or using such a fake extension could lead to further financial harm for users.
The hack's mechanism was particularly insidious. Users who installed the compromised version (2.68) and imported their seed phrases inadvertently granted attackers full access to their wallets. With the seed phrases, the hackers could simply restore the wallets on another platform and transfer all the funds.
New Features Aimed at User Reimbursement
The delayed update is not just a routine patch. Chen detailed that the new version includes a vital feature: a direct submission option for verification codes. This allows users claiming reimbursement for losses from the hack to submit their codes directly from the extension. This process helps confirm the wallet's legitimate ownership, making the verification more reliable and secure against fraudsters.
Regarding the resolution, Chen stated, "Google has acknowledged the issue and is escalating it internally. We hope to have it resolved soon. Thank you for your patience!"
Binance Pledges Full Reimbursement, Investigates Insider Angle
In a move to reassure the affected user base, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has publicly committed that Trust Wallet will fully reimburse all impacted users. Furthermore, an official statement indicated that the team is investigating how the hackers managed to submit the malicious update, with suspicions pointing towards a possible insider involvement in the breach.
For now, Trust Wallet users, especially in the active Indian crypto community, are advised to exercise extreme caution, avoid any unofficial extension sources, and wait for official communication regarding the restoration of the secure extension on the Chrome Web Store.
