As a researcher with a background in cybersecurity and cryptocurrency, I find the recent developments involving Railgun and Inferno Drainer quite intriguing. The successful interception of Inferno Drainer’s latest attempt to launder stolen funds by Railgun is undoubtedly a significant achievement for the privacy protocol.


Railgun, a widely-used crypto privacy protocol, has effectively blocked Inferno Drainer’s attempt to clean up ill-gotten gains by returning the stolen funds back to the original thieving wallet’s address.

As a financial analyst looking into the latest developments in the cryptocurrency world, I came across an interesting incident reported by SlowMist’s anti-money laundering tracking system, MistTrack, on July 10. In this instance, an attempt was made to launder over 174 Ether, equivalent to approximately $533,000 at the time, through unidentified channels. However, these attempts were thwarted by Railgun, a sophisticated system designed to detect and prevent such activities. Consequently, the perpetrators were forced to return the stolen Ether back to the original wallet of Inferno Drainer.

Inferno Drainer is Back

As a diligent crypto investor, I’ve come across some unsettling news regarding a malicious actor known as Inferno Drainer. This cunning adversary has gained notoriety for draining funds from multiple blockchain networks. Recently, they’ve been operating under the disguise of a scam-as-a-service provider.

The organization declared they were ceasing business following allegations of defrauding approximately $80 million from around 5,000 individuals through 689 phishing websites between November 2022 and November 2023. Nevertheless, Inferno Drainer reactivated their schemes in May, asserting “heightened demand” and the departure of competitors such as Pink Drainer as justifications for resurfacing in the criminal underworld.

Although the scam organization had been dormant for almost half a year, they reportedly managed to siphon off over $125 million worth of cryptocurrencies during this period through clandestine activities.

As a crypto investor, I’ve decided that it’s important for us to take this action following the closure of major competitors and the emergence of individuals trying to resell drainers. We believe that by doing so, we can prevent users from falling victim to backdoors, scams, or missed opportunities due to incompetent drainers in the market.

Railgun Faces Scrutiny

Experts are recommending Railgun as a potential replacement for Tornado. Cash, which has been notoriously used by scammers such as Inferno Drainer to laundered ill-gotten gains, following the US government’s crackdown on the crypto mixer.

Expert: Colin Wu, a renowned cryptocurrency journalist, asserted that the infamous North Korean hacking group Lazarus had reportedly employed Railgun in place of Tornado Cash for laundering over $60 million in stolen Ethereum from the 2022 Harmony Bridge heist. This claim was based on a January 2023 FBI declaration implicating Railgun in such illicit activities.

Railgun dismissed allegations that it had been utilized by North Korea and restricted organizations under US sanctions for laundering stolen digital assets. The company categorically denied these reports, labeling them as “inaccurate.” Railgun highlighted its “Private Proofs of Innocence” feature, which was implemented in January 2023, preventing unauthorized access to its system by the Lazarus Group.

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2024-07-12 07:18