Potential Security Breach: NEAR Protocol (NEAR) X Posts Spark Hacking Concerns in Crypto Community

• NEAR Protocol’s official X handle has been posting cryptic messages, raising suspicions of a possible hack.
• The unusual activity includes a Morse code message, gothic font tweets, and a complete visual redesign of NEAR’s X profile.
• While some suspect a hijack, others see the tweets as a sign of something bigger coming to the ecosystem.

NEAR Protocol’s X handle has been posting cryptic messages, sparking concerns of a possible hack. The unusual activity includes a Morse code message, gothic font tweets, and a complete visual redesign of NEAR’s X profile.

Unusual Activity on NEAR Protocol’s X Handle

On May 8th, NEAR Protocol’s official X handle began to post a series of cryptic tweets and messages which left the crypto community puzzled. The unusual behavior started with a 28-second-long video containing a Morse code message. Once decoded, the message read, “Darkness is coming.” Two hours after the tweet, NEAR’s X account sent out four consecutive tweets using hard-to-read gothic fonts. The tweets contained more concerning messages like “the sun rises in the east,” “take back your thoughts,” “darkness” and “reclaim your sovereignty.” This culminated in a complete visual redesign of NEAR’s X profile. Their banner and profile picture were changed to solid black.

Crypto Community’s Reaction

The posts are not on-brand compared to NEAR’s past communications, prompting the crypto community on X and blockchain investigators to suspect a possible hijack. However, a handful of the protocol’s supporters see the tweets as a sign of something bigger coming to the ecosystem. Though the post’s intended meaning is unclear, users generally agree to proceed with caution. This stems from the fear that a hack was launched with malicious intent.

NEAR Foundation Layoffs

NEAR Foundation, the developer of NEAR Protocol, recently laid off 40% of its staff to “significantly consolidate the core Foundation team to focus on a narrower and higher-impact set of activities.” This decision led to a loss of over 35 employees across the business development, marketing, and community teams. The layoffs followed a review that revealed inefficiencies in the foundation’s operations. Over the next few years, the foundation intends to reduce its footprint even more as the ecosystem moves closer to true decentralization. However, this decision may have come at a cost. Some of the affected departments had direct involvement in NEAR Protocols X communications, which could have contributed to the suspected hijack of the account.

Conclusion

The unusual activity on NEAR Protocol’s X handle has raised concerns among the crypto community. While some suspect a hijack, others see it as a sign of something bigger coming to the ecosystem. The recent layoffs at NEAR Foundation could have contributed to the suspected hijack. As the situation unfolds, users are advised to proceed with caution.