The Shiba Inu developer Kaal Dhairya urged the Shibarium Bridge hacker, who stole $2.3 million in assets, to accept K9 Finance’s 20 ETH bounty for the frozen KNINE tokens. This sarcastic message highlights ongoing recovery efforts and enhanced bridge security to prevent future exploits.
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Shibarium Bridge hack details: On September 12, a flash loan attack allowed the hacker to control validator keys and withdraw $2.3 million in ETH, SHIB, ROAR, and KNINE.
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K9 Finance blacklisted the hacker’s wallet, rendering 248 billion KNINE tokens unsellable, and initially offered 5 ETH bounty.
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Recent update: Bounty raised to 20 ETH on November 3, 2025, with developer encouragement to return assets and boost ecosystem trust.
Discover the Shibarium Bridge hacker’s latest developments as Shiba Inu offers 20 ETH to recover stolen assets. Learn about security upgrades and recovery efforts in this crypto news update. Stay informed on SHIB ecosystem resilience.
What is the latest cash offer to the Shibarium Bridge hacker?
The Shibarium Bridge hacker who executed a flash loan attack in September, stealing $2.3 million in cryptocurrency assets, has received an increased bounty from K9 Finance. On November 3, 2025, the offer rose to 20 ETH for the return of the frozen 248 billion KNINE tokens. Shiba Inu developer Kaal Dhairya publicly encouraged the hacker to accept this deal, framing it as an opportunity to act like a white-hat hacker and restore trust in the ecosystem.
How have Shiba Inu developers enhanced Shibarium security post-hack?
Following the Shibarium Bridge exploit, Shiba Inu developers implemented several robust security measures to safeguard the network. A key upgrade includes a feature that automatically blocks suspicious addresses, preventing malicious actors from initiating exploits. This addition, detailed in official Shiba Inu announcements, ensures that bad actors are swiftly identified and banned from interacting with the bridge.
Additionally, a mandatory seven-day withdrawal delay has been introduced for all BONE token withdrawals. This buffer period allows security teams ample time to detect and address any anomalous activity before transactions are finalized, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized exits. According to blockchain security experts at firms like PeckShield, such delays are a standard best practice in DeFi protocols to enhance user fund protection.
Shibarium also launched an official RPC endpoint in collaboration with dRPC.org, improving network reliability and monitoring capabilities. Developers plan to release a comprehensive manual outlining procedures for handling future malicious attempts, further demonstrating proactive risk management. These enhancements collectively strengthen the bridge’s architecture, with early data showing a 40% reduction in potential vulnerability exposures since implementation, as reported by independent audits from Certik.
The incident itself involved the hacker using a flash loan to artificially inflate their stake, gaining temporary control over 10 of 12 validator keys. This allowed fraudulent exit requests, resulting in the theft of assets including Ethereum (ETH), Shiba Inu (SHIB) tokens, ROAR, and KNINE. COINOTAG’s coverage highlighted how K9 Finance, Shibarium’s official liquid staking solution, responded by blacklisting the attacker’s wallet, making the stolen KNINE tokens entirely illiquid and unsellable.
Initially, K9 offered a 5 ETH bounty for the return of these tokens, sent directly on-chain to the hacker’s address. Despite this incentive, the attacker ignored it, holding onto the now-worthless assets. The escalation to 20 ETH represents a strategic move to incentivize recovery without escalating legal pursuits, aligning with the decentralized finance ethos of negotiation over confrontation. Dhairya’s message, shared via social media, sarcastically noted that accepting the offer would allow the hacker to “do something right,” potentially rebounding KNINE’s price and restoring community confidence.
If the hacker complies, K9 Finance regains control of its tokens, which could stabilize the token’s value and prevent further market dumps. This approach underscores the Shiba Inu team’s commitment to ecosystem integrity, as emphasized by lead developers in post-incident statements. Broader implications for Shibarium include heightened scrutiny on layer-2 solutions, where bridges remain a critical vulnerability point in the crypto space.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Shibarium Bridge hack involving the Shiba Inu hacker?
The Shibarium Bridge hack occurred on September 12 when an attacker used a flash loan to manipulate validator control and steal $2.3 million in assets like ETH, SHIB, ROAR, and KNINE. The exploit exploited temporary majority control over validator keys, leading to fraudulent withdrawals. Shiba Inu teams responded swiftly with blacklisting and security upgrades to mitigate damages.
Why did K9 Finance increase the bounty for the stolen KNINE tokens?
K9 Finance raised its bounty from 5 ETH to 20 ETH on November 3, 2025, to encourage the Shibarium Bridge hacker to return the 248 billion frozen KNINE tokens. This move aims to recover assets, rebuild trust in the liquid staking protocol, and support KNINE’s price recovery, as stated in their official on-chain proposal.
Key Takeaways
- Developer intervention: Kaal Dhairya’s public message to the hacker promotes ethical recovery, potentially turning a black-hat exploit into a positive outcome for the Shiba Inu community.
- Security fortifications: New features like address blocking and withdrawal delays demonstrate Shiba Inu’s proactive stance, reducing exploit risks by up to 40% based on audit findings.
- Ecosystem recovery action: Accepting the 20 ETH bounty could stabilize KNINE and enhance Shibarium’s reputation; users should monitor official channels for updates on resolution.
Conclusion
The ongoing saga with the Shibarium Bridge hacker illustrates the challenges and resilience of decentralized networks like Shiba Inu. With enhanced security measures now in place and the increased 20 ETH bounty from K9 Finance, recovery efforts underscore a commitment to protecting user assets. As the crypto landscape evolves, staying vigilant on Shibarium safety will be key; investors are encouraged to follow verified Shiba Inu updates for the latest on this developing story and future safeguards.
