Kerberus, after acquiring Pocket Universe, plans to build a dedicated crypto antivirus that combines its Sentinel3 extension with Pocket Universe’s fraud prevention to protect wallets across EVM chains and Solana, aiming to stop malware-driven fund losses at the device and wallet level within months.
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Acquisition enables a crypto-focused antivirus integrated into browser extensions.
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Kerberus will expand coverage to all EVM chains and Solana and integrate Pocket Universe features into Sentinel3.
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Company estimates a minimum four-month development timeline to a minimal viable product; historical platform prevented user losses for two years.
Kerberus crypto antivirus plan: Kerberus expands protections after Pocket Universe acquisition — learn what this means for wallet safety and EVM/Solana users.
What is Kerberus building after the Pocket Universe acquisition?
Kerberus crypto antivirus is an initiative to combine Pocket Universe’s fraud prevention with Kerberus’ Sentinel3 defenses to create a device-level and wallet-level protection suite. The goal is to prevent malware-driven fund losses across EVM chains and Solana, with a minimal viable product targeted in roughly four months.
How will the Pocket Universe acquisition change Kerberus’ product roadmap?
Kerberus acquired Refract, the developer behind Pocket Universe, in a seven-figure transaction. The company will integrate Pocket Universe into Sentinel3, broaden chain coverage beyond Ethereum to all EVM-compatible chains and Solana, and begin development of a crypto-focused antivirus that runs on users’ devices and within browser extensions.
Source: Pocket Universe
Why does the industry need a crypto antivirus?
Malware and viruses are now a primary vector for onchain loss: once a transaction is signed, funds are typically unrecoverable. Traditional antivirus offers quarantine; the crypto variant must prevent dangerous signing events and block malicious injection points at the wallet and runtime layers.
When will users see a usable product?
Kerberus’ chief technology officer estimates at least four months to a first minimal viable product after development begins. The team reports that some IP for the antivirus exists already, which may shorten certain milestones, but the company remains focused on rigorous testing and zero-loss performance before broad release.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Kerberus’ approach differ from existing wallet protections?
Kerberus combines real-time transaction scanning and automated wallet defenses with browser-level fraud prevention. This layered approach aims to coordinate device, wallet and protocol defenses instead of isolated protections.
Who are the key people and advisers involved after the deal?
Pocket Universe founders Justin Phu and Nishan Samarasinghe will step back to pursue new projects while supporting the Kerberus team. Ran Neuner joins as a strategic adviser and distribution partner. Kerberus leadership includes co-founder and CEO Alex Katz and CTO Danor Cohen.
Are there authoritative industry views supporting this direction?
Security experts in the field — including representatives from FailSafe and blockchain security practitioners — note that the industry lacks a unified “crypto antivirus” and recommends coordinated, multi-layer defenses at both the wallet and protocol levels. Sources quoted by the industry include FailSafe and TRM Labs as plain-text references.
Kerberus CEO Alex Katz (left) and chief technology officer Danor Cohen. Source: Kerberus
How can users protect wallets from malware now?
While Kerberus develops a dedicated crypto antivirus, users should follow layered security: hardware wallets for large holdings, strict extension hygiene, device antivirus, and cautious transaction signing. Protocol-level runtime defenses and wallet-level transaction scanning reduce risk when coordinated.
Key Takeaways
- Acquisition accelerates product capability: Pocket Universe technology will be folded into Sentinel3 to enhance fraud prevention.
- Multi-layer defense is required: Device-level, wallet-level, and protocol-level protections must work together to reduce losses.
- Short-term timeline: Kerberus estimates at least four months to a minimal viable product; users should maintain current best practices meanwhile.
Conclusion
Kerberus’ acquisition of Pocket Universe marks a notable step toward an integrated, extension-based crypto antivirus designed to block malware-driven losses across EVM chains and Solana. The move prioritizes real-time transaction scanning and coordinated defenses. Watch for iterative releases and continued emphasis on user safety as the product is validated.
