Kraken refused to compromise after being extorted, affecting about 2,000 accounts, but the security of funds was not threatened

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has stated that it is being extorted by a criminal organization, which threatens to release videos of its internal system access. The company emphasizes that there has been no systemic breach, customer funds remain secure, and it will not pay a ransom to the attackers.

Kraken disclosed that the incident stemmed from improper access by personnel related to the customer service team, occurring in two separate incidents, involving limited data access for approximately 2,000 accounts (about 0.02% of total users). The company has identified the individuals involved and terminated their access, while also notifying affected users and strengthening security controls.

Kraken's Chief Security Officer Nick Percoco stated that the company is cooperating with law enforcement to investigate and believes it has evidence to track and arrest the individuals involved. The current attack shows a trend of "internal infiltration + social engineering," reflecting the ongoing security challenges faced by the cryptocurrency industry in a high-value asset and complex technological environment.