The platform for trading cryptocurrency derivatives Drift Protocol has published preliminary findings of an investigation into the hack that occurred on April 1, 2026, causing nearly $285 million in damages. According to the company, the attack was not the result of a sudden security breach but was a planned and professional infiltration operation that lasted about six months. Drift stated that it is cooperating with law enforcement agencies, expert groups, and ecosystem representatives to clarify all aspects of the incident.

The investigation shows that the attackers systematically interacted with the Drift team starting in fall 2025, posing as a firm engaged in "quantitative trading." These individuals gained trust by personally communicating with team members at major crypto conferences in different countries and eventually created a professional profile as a business partner. Communication via Telegram covered topics such as strategy development and product integration. It was also reported that the attackers invested over $1 million to establish an active presence on the platform and launched the "Ecosystem Vault." This prolonged engagement demonstrated that the attackers carried out a high-tech operation, not only from a technical perspective but also through social engineering. #GateSquareAprilPostingChallenge