In what could be the biggest crypto heist ever, a criminal hacked $600 million worth of tokens from a blockchain network.

But there’s a twist in the tale. Though the hacker exploited a vulnerability in blockchain network Poly Network and made off with that huge amount, it seems they had a change of heart and have started returning the stolen assets. (Coin Telegraph)

The heist

CNBC reported earlier today that Poly Network, a decentralized finance platform that connects different blockchains so that they can work together, had been hacked for $600 million.

In a plaintive “Dear Hacker” letter posted on Twitter, Poly Network urged the hacker to return the assets because it belonged to “tens of thousands of crypto community members, hence the people.”

pic.twitter.com/Yzw4oDenjC

— Poly Network (@PolyNetwork2) August 10, 2021

CNBC said the hackers had immediately started to route the stolen money to various other cryptocurrency addresses.

According to researchers at security company SlowMist, about $610 million had been transferred to three different addresses. SlowMist said they had “grasped the attacker’s mailbox, IP, and device fingerprints” and are “tracking possible identity clues related to the Poly Network attacker.”

This may have triggered the sympathetic but unexpected response from the hackers by way of an offer to return the assets.

Hacker sends messages

Earlier today, according to Coin Telegraph, the hacker sent an Ethereum transaction to themselves and said “ready to return the fund” in the transaction message.

In a later message, the hacker noted that they failed to contact Poly and that “I need a secured multisig wallet from you.”

“It’s already a legend to win so much fortune. It will be an eternal legend to save the world. I made the decision, no more DAO,” the hacker said in another message.

Meanwhile, Poly Network has provided three wallet addresses and tweeted them for the hacker to use to return the money.

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